Made For Each Other
by molly786
Summary: New Chapter is up. If Ginny doesn't date, then who is that boy with her on Valentines Day? Ginny is engaged but to whom? Draco tricked her and now she is bound to him but until when? What happened to Lucius? Why is Hermione avoiding Harry's attention? Wha
1. Default Chapter

**I started this story and submitted it before I had any beta. Now I am sumitting it again. Hope you find it interesting. Just one thing I wanted to tell you, before you read the story. There 's lots of Ginny's praising. Don't take it as a Mary Sue.It's necassary , you will find out soon. Enjoy the story.  
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Made For Each Other**

**29th August**

"Are you sure you want to do this?" A woman asked that question for the tenth time to the boy who was standing near the window, staring outside, lost in thoughts. He sighed and turned to the woman who sat on a big, comfortable chair.

"Yes! I want to marry Ginny, I have been waiting for so long and this is the time," he said determinedly.

"Ok! Then I will talk to her parents." She nodded her head in agreement, and then she smiled at the boy.

"You are in love with her, aren't you? Isn't it amazing that it was she; not any girl could have done this to you. Although I met Ginny during the war, which was not a very comfortable time for any of us, still I noticed that her confidence makes her beautiful and she has many qualities, that makes her perfect for you. I like her very much."

The boy smiled at the woman. "I am glad you like her. That means a lot to me; thank you." He didn't say any more than that.

"What about the pendant she is wearing around her neck?" She came up to the boy, who stood near the window.

"You don't have to worry. I'll take care of that, Mother, now I have to go. There is some business that has to be done, I'll see you at dinner," he said, kissed her on the cheek, and left the room.

"What are your worries?" A man stepped out in the dark corner of the room.

"I am worried about him, don't you think it would be difficult for him to handle the situation when she finds out who he really is?"

"Hmmm," the man in black robes sighed deeply, "Well, he knows what is he doing, and, what can we do more about it when he already has made up his mind? Frankly, she is the only one who can handle him, and he is the only one who can handle her; they are made for each other."

"Yeah, I guess you are right," the woman breathed, and they both stood in silence and looked out the window at the ground below.

The alarm rang on her bed table; Ginny's hand crawled out from under the comforter and stopped the alarm. A frustrated groan could be heard from beneath the covers. "Why does the morning have to come so soon? The night should be 24 hours long!"

Ginny threw the covers off and went for her gown; noticing that Hermione had already woken up.

_That means Mum is going to call me soon to leave for Diagon Alley, _shethought, and hurried to the bathroom. When she came downstairs, it was pretty noisy and chaotic.

George and Fred were showing their new inventions to Ron and Harry and feeding them with details, which horrified Hermione out of her wits. She went to the kitchen and helped her mum fix breakfast.

It was 29th of August, which meant tomorrow they had to go to Hogwarts. Harry, Hermione and Ron were going to be in seventh year, while Ginny was going to be in sixth year at Hogwarts.

Harry lived with Remus at Number 12 Grimmauld Place now. After the death of Sirius, Harry was so depressed, but still he was willing to live with the Dursleys. He didn't want to live the same place where he wanted to live with his godfather. Since his third year at Hogwatrs, when he had met Sirius the first time and he offered that Harry could live with him, Harry had always wanted to live there. Now, since Sirius had gone, he didn't want to live there anymore. It was too much for him, guilt, pain and loneliness. It was first time in his life when he was happy to live with the Dursleys. When the war was over he started living at Number 12 Grimmauld Place, with Remus. Now, it was the week when Harry and Hermione came to spend their last week of vacations at the Burrow, as they always do. Today, they had to go to Diagon Alley to buy their supplies. Fred and George were staying there because they had to buy supplies for their new joke shop.

Percy was living in London, and sometimes came and spent weekends at the Burrow, but now this particular time he was at the Burrow because of Ginny. He came to meet Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Hermione to say good-bye, but especially to Ginny.

Ginny was the youngest and the only daughter of her parents and only sister of her brothers, and the favorite of all of them. She was what her parents called her, "_ "sunshine",_ yes, their sunshine and the heartbeat of her brothers. Ron always called her spoiler, because of Charlie, Bill, George and Fred. Not that he doesn't love Ginny, but because of all of their attention and favors they gave her, according to Ron, they were spoiling her. He was almost right. She had her own mind, she was confident, and always independent, which was absolutely because of her brothers and her parents who gave her that confidence and their faith in her. Privately in her heart, she was grateful for that so-called spoiling.

Her father was reading _The Daily Prophet_. A smile stretched across her dad's face when he saw her. He put his paper down while she came near and gave her father a kiss on cheek.

"How is my angel?" her father asked her sweetly.

"Perfectly fine, and how is the old man doing?" she asked in the same sweet tone and her father laughed.

"As long as all you are fine I am fine," he replied.

She smiled and sat down beside her father. "Dad, would you drop me at the hospital? I have to meet Professor Snape there."

"Aren't you going to Diagon Alley?" Her father asked her while putting a hand around her shoulders.

"Yes; he will drop me there. It's not going to be a long trip. I have some potion samples for him to check out before I go to school. Then he will drop me in Diagon Alley. I will be back with all of them. " She leaned in to her father's shoulder.

"Is something new in there?" She took the paper and read the headlines while she told the details of her activities of the day.

"Nothing important, just Aurors have been looking for the remaining Death Eaters, that's all," Arthur replied. "Sure, I will drop you there; let's eat because we have to leave early so I won't be late for work," he added.

Ginny was the youngest child of the Weasley's and being a girl after seven boys, in the family and in the magical world, a girl usually is given some powerful magical gifts. In Ginny's case, she was gifted with potions-making abilities and the ability to communicate with magical creatures. She can tell by simply smelling any potion, which ingredients had been used, and she can talk to magical creatures.

It has been three months since Ginny started volunteering at St. Mungo's Hospital. It all started when Professor Snape took her some potion samples to test at the hospital lab. Snape worked for the hospital during vacations and helped the medi-witches and wizards with potions.

She was on a stage where she was creating new potions by herself and with Snape's help and guidance, of course. She had been making some new potions and Snape tested them, so they both worked in the hospital during school vacations. Sometimes Hermione helped Ginny with research.

These days Ginny was working on a special assignment. All summer she was researching different ingredients and was busy in her dad's shed, which she was using as a lab.

He found her potions very powerful and useful, so Snape took them to the hospital lab. The doctors of St. Mungo's and the Ministry of Health and Medicine approved them for use for the patients of the hospital.

Ginny was very happy .

In the kitchen, Hermione, Harry, Ron, George and Fred were all ready and sat there around the table reading their lists of supplies and talking loudly. Ron and Harry's heads were hanging around Hermione's list to take a look at what extra subjects she was taking this year. She gave them a death glare to stop them from breathing down her neck. George and Fred were watching them with sympathy. After leaving the school, in their sixth year, their business grew very quickly. Now, they were very excited because they were soon opening a new shop in Hogsmeade. They watched them making a fuss over subjects, and who was going to teach which ones.

Hermione gave Ginny's letter to her; she opened her letter while she sat between George and Fred. Both leaned in to her to read her letter; a badge slipped out in the letter and landed in Ginny's lap.

"Oh my God, Ginny, you are a prefect!'' Fred shouted in her ear.

Ginny, who was watching with surprise, flinched. "Oh, Fred, I'm sitting just beside you, do you really have to yell in my ear?"

"Well, she is a pretty good student. I was expecting that Ginny was going to be a prefect this year," Hermione told them and congratulated Ginny with a hug. "And no doubt she is the favorite student of Professor Snape, not to mention that she is a Gryffindor." In fact, she was the one of the top students in her year.

Ginny thanked her friend. "Now I am embarrassed."

"Way to go, Gin!" said Ron excitedly. Harry and her parents congratulated her with hugs.

"Percy is going to be too proud," said George, and made a face.

"Ginny, this is wonderful. I am so proud of you. I knew you are going to be a prefect too! Every child of mine has been a prefect and so are you!" her mum replied with excitement.

"Who are we? Next door neighbors." Fred made a face and pointed to him and his twin, and everyone laughed at his outburst. Mr. Weasley ignored both of them and ordered them to finish their breakfast, so they could leave for Diagon Alley and buy their supplies.

Obviously, Hermione was the Head Girl.

"I wonder who will be Head Boy this year?" Ron asked Hermione while eating his breakfast.

"I can guess that it must be Malfoy," Harry told Ron with a frown, and Ron groaned loudly.

"Yeah, probably."

Ginny groaned and made a face, and stopped the urge to pull the chain off around her neck.

"Now, now, Ginny, he is a good boy, now, isn't he?" her father said upon seeing her face.

"Yeah, Dad, easy for you to say, you didn't spend five or six years with him," Ginny said pompously, and everyone shook his or her heads in agreement.

"Jealous, aren't we?" Fred taunted Ron.

"No, I am not, I am a prefect," Ron protested with a glare.

"Its 8'o clock in the morning, Gin, you got ready too early; we have decided to leave at 10'o clock", George told her.

"No, I am not going to Diagon Alley with you; Dad will drop me at the hospital. I have to meet Professor Snape there. He will drop me back in the Diagon Alley, so you guys go without me and I'll meet you there. After that we'll buy our books and then I'll go with you two," she told to both twins while telling her schedule of the day.

"Well, it's so scary to think that he liked one of the Gryffindors, which also happened to be a Weasley. You aren't dating him, are you? Tell me you aren't!" Fred threw his hands over his heart like his going to have a heart attack.

"Well, he is awfully sexy, isn't he, Ginny?" Hermione smiled mischievously.

Harry choked on his juice; Ron looked like he just ate slugs. He turned a repulsive shade of green; the twins were gagging. Hermione, Ginny, and her parents were laughing at the looks on their faces.

"Better than a Potter, right, mate?"

"Yeah," Harry shook his head gravely and looked suspiciously at Hermione.

"Let's go, Ginny, we are getting late," Hermione quickly said.

"What's your plan? Where you will meet me, guys?" she asked.

"I have promised Narcissa I'll meet her in the bank AND after that we'll go together to buy your robes AND I don't want any arguing about that," Mrs. Weasley finished before Ginny could protest.

"Tell me! You will be there, Hermione?" she pleaded to Hermione. The twins, Ron, and Harry smiled at her discomfort; all of them knew she could not bear to have Draco around. In fact, both of them didn't get along very well, although they all knew she had liked him once.

It's hard to tell according to their behavior, which doesn't indicate any kind of emotions or feelings now. At least not from her behavior.

"Yes, I'll be there," Hermione smiled at Ginny.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, you are a sweetheart."

"Now, Ginny, I am warning you, behave yourself around Draco. You always act so rude with him."

"I am.... I am rude with him? You didn't even see him; anyway, who is talking about him? I didn't say anything about Malfoy!" Ginny huffed.

'You don't have to say any thing. I know already," her mother said calmly.

''Ginny's mouth opened for a protesting scream but no voice came out, so she huffed and muttered under her breath, "Git, idiot, prat," while she proceeded to the fireplace, and glared all of the boys who were laughing at her.

"Draco, are you ready?"

"Yes, Mum, I'll be down in a minute." Draco took one last look in the mirror and dashed downstairs.

"It is getting late I have to meet Molly in the bank and then we also have to go to buy your supplies and your robes, AND behave yourself AND not a word out of your mouth," his mother warned him while eating their breakfast. Draco stopped in the middle, his mouth opened in protest.

"She is the one who should behave, not me!"

His mother smiled mischievously, "What are you talking about, Draco? Did I say something about Ginny, or that she would be there?"

Draco's hands froze for a moment and he kicked himself mentally for his impatience.

"This is not fair, Mum," he protested when he saw his mother smiling as she got up to put on her robes. As they were leaving for Diagon Alley, he smiled upon the mental picture of an annoyed Ginny, when he teased her and she finally lost her control.


	2. Chapter One

Nor deem the irrevocable past

As wholly wasted, wholly vain

If, rising on it's wrecked, at last

To something nobler, we attain

He ne'er is crowned

With immortality, who fears to follow?

When airy voices lead.

John Keats.

It has been seven months since Voldemort was defeated, thanks to Harry Potter, who fulfilled his birth prophecy. In Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts, he was falsely lured to the Department of Mysteries to save his godfather, Sirius Black. Death Eaters were all over the place, but they couldn't get the prophecy, and it was smashed in the process of escaping. Luckily, Dumbledore already knew the prophecy, and passed it on to Harry.

After leaving the Department of Mysteries, Voldemort wasn't happy with the Death Eaters, including Lucius Malfoy, Nott Avery, and many more. Bellatrix Lestrange had blamed Lucius that he distracted the children on purpose and delayed them with useless talking that allowed Harry and his friends to escape, and gave the Aurors time to show up.

Voldemort was furious with all of them. He had been working on his plans since Harry's first year of school and after a whole year's effort he had managed to finally bait Harry to the Department of Mysteries and for what?

"A huge failure."

He was squirming and feigning violently. Even in his normal mood he was not very presentable and bearable to look at but in anger. His snake-like face was incontestably putrid. Then, he made the biggest mistake of his perished life; he punished his loyal Death Eaters, including Lucius Malfoy. Some of them he tortured, and, let's just say, they were never the same again. The ministry had declared Lucius dead, but what really happened to him few people know about.

After that night, in the Department of Mysteries, every single witch and wizard in the Wizarding world knew that the Dark Lord was back. Now they had seen Voldemort with their own eyes and they believed Harry. Voldemort had vanished...again, but everyone knew he wasn't dead; he'd be back. Eventually Voldemort's sabotage to the Death Eaters and falsity of the followers was certain; Voldemort was recruiting greater numbers of Death Eaters than ever before. People were joining his ranks for many reasons: fear, ambition, to save their families and friends. He was planning to punish them and kill them all, including their families. Nobody wanted to take that risk, so some of them countered him and join Dumbledore's side if he promised to save their families, which he did.

Since the war was over, Ginny had started studying about werewolves. During the war, she had learned some facts about werewolves, and thought that there was a possible cure for werewolf's bite, so she wanted to try her luck. Hermione helped her with research and Snape provided her books from the school library and whatever additional information she needed.

All the time when school was open both Ginny and Hermione's undivided attention for books, notes, and parchments drove the boys, Harry and Ron, of course, crazy. The pair of girls asked the boys to help them, if they wished to. Ron was appalled and declared that the girls have gone mad, asking them for more work let alone their schoolwork, detentions, Quidditch and Prefects duties.

The girls didn't mind their company, but with their lack of seriousness, they thought it would be a good idea to spare them from their research. During the vacation, Ginny was mostly found in her dad's garage, which she had turned into a lab. Now, it seemed to resemble Snape's office. One corner was full of different ingredients, herbs, caldrons, jars full of intricate materials and other potion properties. After a long period of time and research (with the help of Snape and Hermione), she thought it was time to try her quasi-talent.

She made different potions and gave them to Snape to check them out. Snape, in his spare time, worked for the hospital lab.

FLASH BACK

__

One day she went to the hospital to give potions to Snape. The receptionist told her that he was in the Magical Maladies and Injuries wards, and waiting for her in a private room. Confused, Ginny wondered who would be in the private room, and, nonetheless, in the Magical Maladies and Injuries wards. Anticipating what she would find, she reached the level of Magical Maladies and Injuries wards, and walked curiously through the room, which the receptionist had told about her earlier.

She knocked on the door; Snape opened it and welcomed her in. It was a small room with a couch and two chairs. The waiting room, she thought to herself. There was a large glass window, which was connected to the patient's room. After saying hello to each other, Ginny peeked into the other room with curiosity. For a while she felt that she had forgotten the ability of breathing; her blood drained from her face.

"It's... It's...but... how? He, he is Lucius, but... How? He's dead." She shook her head unbelievingly, babbling with confusion. She turned to Snape, who was now standing beside her, looking at the person on the bed in the room, and shook his head. "No, Ginerva. He wasn't dead; Dumbledore faked his death to save his perished life from the Dark Lord."

He told her with an emotionless face, "The Dark Lord had thought that he was dead when he tortured Lucius, but he didn't die. What remained of him was not any good for Voldemort and he was left in the dark forest to die. The Dark Lord ordered his followers to kill him and leave him in the dark forest, but they just left him there. They thought no one would look for him in the forest and that wild animals would finish him off eventually," he sighed. "But when Headmaster received the letter from Narcissa, we found him in the Forbidden Forest. He was almost dead and would have died if we hadn't gotten there when we did. No one else knew about it, and Dumbledore kept him safe somewhere. When they had brought him to St. Mungo's, he was not in a good condition at all. Most of his bones were broken, which showed the obvious use of the Cruciatus curse, and he also had lost plenty of blood. They had admitted him in the Magical Maladies and Injuries wards. His visible injuries were healed, but his internal injuries and most likely his mental condition is not good, though medi-wizards and witches can't treat him as a mental case, because his mind is still working properly. According to the doctors, mentally he is awake and listening to every word anyone is saying around him. He will be able to remember the voices of the people and what they said when he awakes, but some of his sensitive nerves are still damaged, which control anyone's movement with his mind. So, visibly he is sleeping and mentally, he is awake. Since then I was taking care of him in my spare time."

She looked at him with confusion, but he understood and answered her unasked question. "Some of the staff has gone lost or dead in the war so I'm volunteering. They are asking for more volunteers; with the lack of nurses it's difficult for them to take care of all the long-term patients."

Both of them stood there in silence and watched. After a week, she told her mum and dad that she wanted to volunteer at the hospital. They permitted her to volunteer. She told that she wanted to do it for Lucius, although she knew that none of her family wanted her to volunteer for Lucius Malfoy. Draco and Narcissa were a total different story. They had proven their loyalty in the war, but Lucius was evil; he had caused so much havoc in everybody's life, especially to her. She almost died in her first year, because of Tom Riddle's diary and the Chamber of Secrets. However, nobody said anything to her about it.

They all knew she had made up her mind already. They couldn't change it. Ron, on the other hand, was her brother, never letting her go. At the dinner table, he asked Ginny for the last time why she was doing that for Malfoy. Unfortunately, that was Ginny's last straw, which he had just broken.

"I' m not doing this for anyone and I'm not doing this especially FOR Malfoy and you NEVER, EVER SAY THAT AGAIN RON, I DON'T LIKE HIM." She was so angry and furious with Ron; she didn't eat dinner that night, even after he said sorry to her after a long lecture from their mum.

They all understood how she was feeling and why she was doing it; to secure herself, to make a difference in the world, to be a better person than him, who had killed her once. Well, almost killed her!

"You are my brave girl! I know you want to do it, and I am so proud of you; it's not easy to help someone who used to be our enemy. You are a true Gryffindor, but you know it's a big responsibility, even if he is Lucius and is helpless right now."

"I am a Gryffindor, Dad, and I like challenges. If you are worried that I cannot handle the situation, I will not take it personally. Besides, no one will ever find out that it was me, because I already told Professor Snape to change my identity in papers. Only my family and the doctors will know about me. His family and others will not know that it was me who was volunteering, so don't worry at all."

He smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "No! Of course not! I always have faith in you; we all do, and I know you would never do a thing to degrade us. We are all proud of you."

"Thanks, Dad, for your support and faith in me. I will never let you down," she replied, delighted at her father's response.

END OF FLASHBACK

She was doing her job with passion and devotion. Everyone was happy with her in the hospital. She always carried an aura around her that caused no one to ever taken her for granted, even though she was a teenage girl. Every person respected her and her work. Her opinions mattered to them. She was very happy with her life and was proud that she finally had achieved what she wanted.

"An identity."

She entered the dimly lighted room. The room was big and there was a bed in the center of the room. A big blue couch was placed beside the wall on the right side of the bed, as well as a big table in front of the couch. Also, there was a comfy seat to the left of the bed, and three more chairs beside the door for visitors. Two big windows were covered with vivid blue curtains. One window wasn't open; however, it was connected to the waiting room.

The walls were dully white washed and there was a painting on the wall just above the couch, which showed the scene of a vast green plain ground and a blue sky. In the middle of the green ground, there was a tree, which stood alone, just like the man who lay on the hospital bed. Ginny liked the painting very much; she thought that painting suited the person who had occupied that room for the last nine months very well. The only sounds in the room were the soft bells that were coming from Ginny's anklet when she moved around, and the steady breathing of the person lying on the bed.

She slowly walked to the bed and took a brief look at the person who occupied the bed. His pale face, pointy nose and silver blond hair, and his lean body, which seemed like it almost, disappeared under the covers. He looked like an angel, she secretly thought, if only he just could be as angelic as he looks. She learned that with experience, and already has given the credit to Draco being a Malfoy. People always respect them, for whatever reason it is. Even if he was in a comma, still anybody could feel that intimidating aura around him. Nevertheless, she was used to it by now. She changed the flowers from the vase, which she brought with her. She always brought flowers when she came to visit. Ginny headed over to the windows to open the curtains. As soon as she got the stubborn curtains to open, sunlight spilled into the dimly lit room. She put on her bronze-rimmed glasses and picked up Lucius Malfoy's medical record chart from the bedside table.

She turned on her heels when she heard a knock on the door. A middle-aged medi-wizard in hospital robes and a file in his hands entered the room. His nameplate read, "Mr. Simon Jade." "Hello, Miss Weasley," he whispered softly. "Oh, hello Mr. Jade, good morning,"

Ginny answered him with a welcoming smile on her face.

"Good morning to you, too. Ruby, the receptionist, informed me of your presence, and Severus Snape will be here in a minute. I wanted to discuss the medical condition of Mr. Lucius Malfoy with you two. Mrs. Malfoy and her son Draco Malfoy will also be here." He whispered to her while taking the record from her hands and pointed at the door to go outside with him.

Once they were out side the room, Ginny asked him hysterically, "What? His family will be here, but Ruby told me they would come in the afternoon, that's why I came at this time, what if they find out who I am, or what if they just walked in before Professor Snape got here? What will they think about me being here?"

"Relax, my child," Jade chuckled at her bewilderment, "they will come during the afternoon, so don't worry. Your identity is safe, as ever as it will be." Dr. Jade walked into the connected room. "Oh, thank God, you scared me." She took a long breath of relief. There was another knock at the door.

The door opened, and in walked Severus Snape, dressed in his usual black robes, stern face, and oily hair. "Hello, Miss Weasley. Hello, Jade." Snape curtly nodded to both of them. Both of them mirrored his actions. Snape watched from the window of the connected room to Lucius' room for a while before moving across the room and sitting down. "Ok, here is the condition of Mr. Malfoy since he arrived." Mr. Jade shuffled some papers from the file and gave them to Snape and Ginny, together they took them and studied it in a quick movement in silence.

"Well! This is good, isn't it? I mean, from the last three months, his mental condition and some of the body movements are good sign... Right?" Ginny asked both of the males while taking off her glasses. Snape looked at her and nodded his head to indicate his agreement, "This is good, Ginerva, actually, at this progress he will be up no more than... what? Three or four months, but as we know, it's a comma and we can't say anything is definite. It can be any time or no time. Let's just hope and pray for the best, am I right, Jade?"

Snape turned to Mr. Jade who was listening and nodding his head in agreement, "Absolutely right, but his mental condition is good due to your new potion and I have suggested some exercises, hopefully they will help." Both of them seemed happy about the progress in Lucius's condition.

"Since this process is done, I wanted to ask Miss Weasley, will you continue to volunteer? I know that your school is starting and that is also a tough job by itself and it's also your important year at school, so if you stop coming and drop it I'll understand it perfectly." While filing his papers, Jade waited for her answer. Ginny was thinking along the same lines, she didn't want to leave the volunteer work in the middle, best to stay with her progress. She was very happy that the potion she was making with Professor Snape was having some positive reaction in Lucius' health, and he was rapidly recovering, not to mention that he was the enemy.

She didn't think of that when she had first started to volunteer for him; frankly, that just doesn't matter any more for any of them. That was the most important question she was thinking about, how was she going to carry on while dealing with her studies and other stuff. "Yes! You can leave the rest here and we can take care of it. If we need your help, we'll know where to reach you."

Snape shrugged his shoulder, with a suggestion. "No! I can come with you, Professor, you told me before that you have to come here twice a month, right?" Snape nodded in agreement. "So I will come with you," she said firmly in a "now that's a solution" way.

Snape thought momentarily and answered them, "That wouldn't be so difficult, we can do that. I don't think the Headmaster would mind, but we had better ask him first. I will let you know what Dumbledore has decided."

A wave of relief washed over Ginny. "Ok, it's done now! I will see both of you in a month or so." Mr. Jade shook hands with both of them and left the room. "So! How is your summer going, Ginerva?" Snape asked her; the facade he was holding up of a dominating military officer gone. His demeanor was completely changed now, and he had a gentle smile on his face, which was foreign to any other person who knew him.

Well, maybe not for Draco, because Snape was his godfather, after all. However, on the other hand, for a Gryffindor, this amount of affection nobody would believe. With Ginny, Snape's affection was a very peculiar matter! She was the only one who has been able to achieve that kind of affection from a Slytherin, and a Slytherin head of house at that. Snape loved her like a daughter and she liked him as an uncle, but that was the private matter, and nobody knew about it. They didn't show any sign of their friendship in public or at school. They were always the same in the crowd with each other, as other students to the teacher, and he with her, like all of the other students. Very little people knew about their friendship with each other as for the same number of people who knew about her volunteering and her extra magical powers. "Very good indeed!" A smile crept on her face and lit up her eyes.

"How 'bout you, Professor?" She handed him a potion sample pouch, which she had brought with her. "Hmm... not bad; actually, this is the first time in my life I feel free, I have no fear and no regrets." A calm and relaxed expression came over his face. You didn't have to look closely to see it. The emotion on his face was plainly clear, like a warrior coming back from a long war. He had never looked this peaceful before. He took the pouch from her hand and slightly weighed it in his right palm and stood up. Ginny knew what was he talking about, independence from a crazed evil wizard and having a big ugly painful mark on your arm, not to mention control by that mark. Also, being freed from having to play a double roll in the war as a mole, and risking your life and living with the fear of every moment and every breath of your life would be a great thing. "I'm happy for you." She leaned over and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. He looked up at her gratefully and nodded. She stood up with him. The pair of them stepped out of the room and headed towards the fireplace to go to Diagon Alley.


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Draco and Narcissa stepped out of the Leaky Cauldron. Diagon Alley loomed in front of them. Draco took a deep breath and the familiar, strong scent of magic hit his nose. A smile crept onto his handsome face. It was a busy time of the day, and everyone was rushing about doing his or her business. From where he was standing he could see everything: the cafés, Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, school supply shops, potion shops, quill shops, Madam Malkin's, A Sister's Latest Style, and the Famous Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes joke shop and his favourite Quality Quidditch Supplies. He watched the wizards arguing over deliveries, funny little witches up for the day's shopping, and so many young wizards and witches from Hogwarts. He watched their excited chatter about their first day in Hogwarts with amusement. His thoughts were interrupted when Narcissa called to him.

"Draco! Are you coming, Hun?"

"Yes, Mum, I am coming. Mum, please, I am a big boy now and if one of those devils were to find out about that name, my future would be ruined forever. Every girl in school will be calling me by that name. I don't mind the girls calling me 'Hun,' though, but I don't want the Weasleys to," he said inattentively as he followed his mother and threw glances at the shop windows. Narcissa smiled at him and slapped him playfully on the back of his head. Light pink colour rose on his cheeks, and he nervously ran a hand through his perfect blonde hair.

"Oh look, mum, here we are," he said, trying to distract Narcissa. They were in front of Gringotts, the Wizarding bank. The popping noise of apparation came from behind them.

"Is that all you do, Narcissa? Huh! You need to spend more time with mum," Fred said, his voice holding a disappointed tone. Draco growled and Narcissa smiled at his uneasiness as she turned to the speaker, obviously recognizing who was talking. Fred, George, Harry, and Hermione were standing just behind them. Draco watched as the twins approached Narcissa to hug her. They had to bend down a considerable amount given their height. Ron was next, followed by Harry and Hermione. They had all changed over the years. Harry, Ron and Draco, more or less the same height, had all filled out thanks to their Quidditch playing. Ron's freckles were as prominent as ever, but fit in better in his face. As for Harry, his forest green eyes were a bit happier and brighter than in the past, but the hair was as messy as ever. There was something that had changed about his face, though. The last six years had left an imprint of the cruel realities of life, which had changed his whole demeanour and personality. He had endured enough pain and responsibilities to last a lifetime. He had become more sober and thoughtful, but also more relaxed.

Hermione had become more refined. Her hair was still bushy, but was tamer than it had been in a long time. She had never been an ugly girl, but now she looked better than ever before.

"Oh my God! All you have grown up so much in months! Look at you!" The motherly tone in Narcissa's voice made the group of young people turn slightly pink.

"You are amazing, Narcissa. Your son is talking to you about how to deal with girls. I am so jealous," Fred said and Draco glared at him. Narcissa smiled at the heartbreaking expression on Fred's face.

"That's enough now," said Mrs. Weasley, who had just apparated behind them. She glared at the twins before stepping forward to greet Narcissa.

"Hello Mrs. Weasley," Draco said.

"Oh! Hello dear, how are you?" Mrs. Weasley returned the greeting.

"We have to hurry. I have so much to do before the afternoon," Narcissa told Mrs. Weasley.

"Of course, dear! Let's go to the bank first. All of you stay here and wait for Ginny," Mrs. Weasley said and the two mothers disappeared behind the bank doors.

"I had thought of so many other nicknames for you, but not that one. It suits you very well, all hunny-bunny, all fluffy. Ginny would love it, don't you think, hun?" George said in the sweetest voice he could manage, and pouted his lips. All of them except Draco started laughing. Draco swore under his breath and growled like an angry cat. His pale complexion now had a tint of pink, but before he could say something, he was interrupted by a very familiar voice, one he could recognize anywhere.

"What's going on here, people? Having fun without me?"

Usually he felt excitement course through his body at just the thought of seeing Ginny. Her presence gave him energy to just be fifteen again, to tease her, and unfortunately for Ginny, he happened to know exactly when and which buttons to push. However, this time the situation was different. He knew that if she were to find out about his pet name, the next year of his life would be hell. Every boy in Hogwarts would call him "Hun" instead of just the girls.

"Oh no," he muttered under his breath, his pale face paler than normal. He looked at all of them with pleading eyes, begging them not to tell her. He turned around and found Ginny sauntering towards them. She was wearing dark brown pants, a crème coloured high neck jumper and dark brown velvet robes. Her beautiful face was a little flushed because of the cold wind. Her long, thick red hair was in a ponytail and was blowing with the wind while she tried desperately to control it. Strands of hair, which had come out of her ponytail, covered her face. Draco loved Ginny's hair, which was long enough to touch her lower back, and her big, intelligent, chocolate brown eyes, which always twinkled brightly whenever she was up to no good. He appreciated her beauty and confidence. She reminded him of him. Both had so much in common: arrogance, stubbornness, the ease with which they hid their emotions, confidence, the love for difficult and challenging work and possessiveness.

Draco and Ginny never got along because he always made her do things, which she strongly avoided doing or, for whatever reason, she didn't want to do. On the other hand, only he knew how to deal with her and only she knew how to deal with him.

"Oh my god," Hermione muttered under her breath. Hermione and the others knew very well that when Draco and Ginny were in the same place, the result was always a small war of their own. Ginny was always more controlled and evenly tempered than any other Weasley, but she still had a ferocious temper on her. Hermione always wondered how she was not as tempered as Ron, but put it down to Ginny's having spent so much time with Harry in the past.

In Draco's presence however, Ginny always lost her calm. In the face of his merciless teasing, Ginny had no choice but to either retaliate or ignore him. More often than not, she ignored him, which made him angrier and he teased her harder. Hermione had once asked Draco why he teased Ginny so much.

"I love to see her get angry," he had replied. Hermione, however, knew better, being close to him, understood, that he needed Ginny; he needed someone to care for and to teach him trust again. Someone honest and faithful. Someone like Ginny. He cared a great deal of her, but sometimes his mockery hurt Hermione that he treated her cruelly as it hurt Ginny. Then again, his affection lurked in his comments and dark sarcasm. Somewhere in his silver eyes, she detected certain tenderness. In his actions, there was a welcoming gentleness. Nevertheless, he was unable to express his feelings, without sarcasm. Hermione wished he would trust his emotions and confront his feelings rather than conceal them. But he did not. Yet in her heart she was sure, dead sure that he loved Ginny.

"Hello Malfoy," Ginny said and averted her eyes forcefully. He was dressed in dark grey, which matched his grey eyes. His normally pale face was pink. He had brushed his blonde hair out of his eyes, making him look more handsome. The small cut across his left eyebrow made him sexier. It was no wonder girls in school and everywhere else were mad about him. He was perfectly aware of the fact, too. Ginny greeted everyone as if she hadn't seen him or her in a long time.

"Hello Weasley. Didn't you see them at home this morning?" he glared at her.

"Jealous, are we?" she tartly replied.

Hermione shifted her weight to the other foot and shook her head in disappointment. Ginny ignored her and Draco as well, and waved a hand carelessly.

"By the way, Draco, congratulations. You're Head Boy now, aren't you?" Hermione said with a smile, desperately trying to change the subject.

"How do you know I am Head Boy? Maybe I'm not," he said, but his smile confirmed it. "On the other hand, I should congratulate you, so! Congratulations." Draco hugged her, and she thanked him.

"Of course you're not Head Boy. They should send you a, "BIG-HEAD Boy" badge," Harry said, and everyone laughed at the memory of Percy's head-boy badge, which was changed to read 'Big-head boy' by the twins.

"Where is Snape, Gin? Isn't he supposed to be with you?" Ron asked.

"Snape... what were you doing with him?" Draco asked raising his eyebrows, before Ginny answered Ron.

"Well! If you really want to know, I made a list of all the pretty girls in Britain, and I had a meeting with him to select the available dates for dates." Turning around to face her brothers who were making disgusted noises, she added seriously, "Boys, u had better get the girls before Professor Snape's sexy spell works on the women in the Wizarding world, and you are left alone."

Hermione started giggling as the boys' faces turned sour, with the exception of Draco, who was looking at Ginny with narrowed eyes.

"Huh...Sexy spell or greasy spell," Ron exclaimed snickering.

"I have no desire to date any more," Fred said morosely.

"Could that be because you already have one?" Harry asked smiling.

"By the way, we are talking about my Godfather here, and he is your teacher, too," Draco sneered at her.

"Well, Malfoy! That's very old news. Got anything new? For example, since when do you care about Snape, and since when do you have the impression that I would care that he is your Godfather? You never did." Ginny was standing right in front of him. She was not very close, but he could still smell her, the sweet scent of strawberries and some kind of flowers. She had a challenging smile, a face pink from laughter, and eyes full of mischievous twinkles. She was biting her pink lips to keep from laughing. Strands of her hair were hanging around her face. She was looking so beautiful that Draco had an almost undeniable urge to grab her and kiss her senseless. With an immense amount of strength, he controlled himself. After defeating the Dark Lord, he didn't want to die in the middle of Diagon Alley at the hands of her brothers.

"You are so Slytherin, you know that, Weasley? Sometimes I think that the sorting hat's decisions are not very reliable, at least not in your case," Draco said sceptically.

"Just think about it, Malfoy. Everything happens for a good reason. Where would you be if I were in Slytherin?"

"Ooh!" the twins teased Draco, and Harry held her back when Draco took a step towards her.

"That's enough you two. We have a whole year. Save something for there." Harry stepped between them.

"You're my sister, but I have to agree with Malfoy. You are evil." Said Ron.

"Yeah, me, too. I have some Slytherin influence in me."

Hermione rolled her eyes as Ginny agreed with Ron. All of them smiled with her.

"By the way, Professor Snape was with me, but he left me in a bookshop and is gone now. Where are Mum and Narcissa?" She slipped her hands between Harry and Ron, who smiled at her as they all started walking to the bank.

"Spoiler," Draco muttered Ginny's pet name his breath, but loud enough for all of them to hear. He was walking with Hermione, right behind Harry, Ginny, and Ron. Fred and George were behind Hermione and Draco. Hermione took a sharp breath and glared at him.

"You prat!" she hissed. Ron and Harry heard him too, and gave Draco death glares.

"I am not a spoiler!" Ginny shouted in outrage.

"Draco, you stop bothering her, and I mean it," Ron warned him casually.

"Yeah, don't you dare to call my sister by her pet name in the middle of Diagon Alley." Harry added with a teasing smile on his face.

"HARRY!" Ginny shouted in outrage. "Ok, ok I was just kidding Ginny."

Draco just shrugged his shoulders carelessly and took a deep breath. "Okay, but you didn't say anything when she was joking about my Godfather," Draco frowned.

"And by the way, look who's talking, mommy's boy!" Ginny snapped, sharply turning to him with her teeth gritted. Draco, in a swift movement, pulled on her ponytail and her already loosened band slipped from her hair, and into Draco's fingers. He knew she hated it when anyone did that.

"Never call me mommy's boy again," he spat back at her evenly. Ron and Harry looked at each other and both held her tightly. Ginny was trying to free her hands by wriggling and squirming in the boys' grip.

"HOW DARE YOU TOUCH MY HAIR!"

"Okay Gin, calm down! He is just trying to annoy you. Don't give him the satisfaction," Harry said, trying to calm her down. Both walked faster before she could attack Draco for pulling on her ponytail. Fred, George, and Draco started laughing. Hermione slapped his arm and glared at the twins.

"You know she was joking, not making fun of Snape."

"I know that," Draco told her with an innocent smile.

"You are cruel, you know that?" Hermione said.

"I know that, too."

"Oh, I don't know why we even bother with you two. It always ends the same. Why don't you just leave her alone?" Hermione asked him pleadingly.

"Oh I don't know what you are talking about, Herm! It seems to be something else to me," Fred said, elbowing George. Both shared a knowing look.

Draco, who was looking intently at Ginny, turned to them and arched an eyebrow, "And what is that supposed to mean?" he asked.

The twins shrugged, "What makes you think that we're going to tell you?" They walked past him calling after Ginny. "Hey! Wait up, Gin!"

Draco turned to Hermione, who was smiling at the boys' attempts to cheer Ginny up. Hermione turned and looked at Draco, who was looking at her as if waiting for an answer.

"Well..." he trailed off.

"Well what? I am not going to tell you either, so don't look at me," she said and marched after the twins.

Draco swore loudly.

"Bloody everyone not telling me. You know what? I don't care!" he yelled and followed her slowly. In the mean time, Mrs Weasley and Narcissa had come out of the bank, and he thanked God that nothing had happened in front of his mom. She had warned him not to bother Ginny. He smiled at the memory of a pissed off Ginny with fiery hair.

"Hello, Ginny. How wonderful to see you! How have you been?" Narcissa asked as she hugged Ginny, who had managed to make a bun out of her hair now.

"Thanks! I'm fine. How are you, Narcissa?" she asked and glared at Draco and ignored him when he returned a wink and a smirk. He was standing right behind her mother so when Ginny gave her a hug she had to face him.

"Oh, I am fine, just getting old," Narcissa, answered casually.

"You're not old. You are the smartest woman I have ever seen. No offence, Mum." Ginny patted her mother's shoulder lightly.

"None taken," Mrs. Weasley replied with a gesture of her hand.

"Oh, Ginny, dear, you are so nice. Thanks," Narcissa said as she patted Ginny's cheek with a soft hand.

"No, really, Narcissa. You look so young that if you stand with Draco, you don't look like his mother, but like an elder sister," Hermione assured her. Narcissa flashed a bright smile at her. "Thank you Hermione. "Narcissa was tall with a very feminine figure, and a beautiful face and deep sea-blue eyes. It was true that she didn't look old. She was part Veela, after all.

"If I was not going about with Angi, Narcissa," George looked at Narcissa with a thoughtful expression on his face and trailed off....

"GEORGE!" shrieked all the boys and Mrs. Weasley, but mostly Draco. The girls started giggling, and Narcissa laughed. George, who hadn't been expecting such a reaction, stepped backwards hastily, tripped over a rock, and fell down. Draco and Mrs. Weasley were sending him death glares.

"Oh, George, you are such a handsome boy. I am sure your company would be enjoyable, and I am sure Angi is a very lucky girl." Narcissa offered her hand to help him up. Since he was still on his bottom on the floor, he accepted, and stood up, his face red from her remarks.

"Umm, thanks," he said to her sheepishly.

"Mum," Draco looked at her with wide eyes and everybody started laughing.

"We have to do so much today, and we don't have much time, so march!" Narcissa pushed him forward, ignoring his protests.

Until lunch they shopped for their school supplies, quills, parchment, and potions ingredients. The boys tried to slip away from the ladies, who were robe shopping, but Ginny dragged everyone along. Therefore, in the end they all were sitting in A Sister's Latest Style Shop to pick up robes for Hermione and Ginny. The two friends and girlfriends of Fred and George's since their sixth year, Angelina and Alicia, owned the shop. After graduate, they both started this business. Angelina gave everybody butter beers and put the "WE WILL BE BACK SOON" sign on the door. She grabbed the girls and they all vanished behind the back door of the store.

"Ginny, your robes came out very beautiful! You're such a good designer. We put them in the display window and, can you believe it, we already have twelve orders for those styles!" Alicia told Ginny enthusiastically.

"Well, It's you who made it so beautiful, so thank you too." Ginny thanked them both.

Angelina grinned toothily, "Yeah that's right, you're welcome. Besides, we were thinking of asking you to do a favour, if you have time make some designs for us. We know that school is starting, so no pressure at all."

"Oh, no! I would love to."

"Really? Thanks." Both friends were happy. Since Charlie had no ideas about what to buy for girls, he had brought some robe material from Romania for Ginny, and she had given that to Angelina and Alicia. For a change, she had thought that it would be a good idea to design her own robes, and the result was marvellous. The robes were beautiful, comfortable, and fit extremely well. Everybody liked them. Ginny was not a very wardrobe kind of person, but she always had decent choice in clothing. She had also designed a robe for Hermione as a gift for her. Hermione was speechless. The peach robe was beautiful and the colour suited her very well. She thanked Ginny with a tight hug, and then went outside to show everyone.

"Hermione, you look beautiful!" Harry said, speaking first. He suddenly realized that everyone was in the room when Draco and Ron elbowed him from both sides and the twins snorted with laughter.

"Ouch!" Harry yelled in pain and glared both of them. "What the hell was that for?"

"Oops," said Ron, and turned to face Hermione, who was looking at him with surprise.

"Busted," said Fred.

"I mean, the robe is beautiful," Harry said and Hermione smiled at him.

"Thanks, Harry," she said.

"Yeah, yeah! Right! The robe is beautiful, beautiful on Hermione, is that what you were trying to say, Potter?" Draco teased him. Harry had gone very pink and had the urge to punch Draco in the face.

"Don't make me hit you, Malfoy," Harry warned with a twisted smile. All the boys started laughing at his lame attempt to warn Draco.

"Yes, Hermione, the robe is beautiful," said both Narcissa and Mrs. Weasley. She thanked them and told them that Ginny had designed it for her. The other three girls were standing in the doorway, watching the scene and giggling at Harry's embarrassment, which he was trying to ignore.

"Can he be more obvious? Especially Harry, it's all over his face, but he is too naïve to understand, and look at her, I think the only way Hermione will understand someone's attraction to her is if someone gave her a romantic potions speech, or a lusty transfiguration lesson."

Alicia looked at other girls, who were staring at her with open mouths.

"Ok... that is too much. Romance and Snape, sex lessons from McGonagall...eww..."

The three of them shuddered with horror, shared a look of understanding, and started laughing at the idea of Transfiguration sex lessons from their Head of house.

"You have no idea," Ginny said, sighing deeply, after recovering from her laughter. "I have a bunch of lunatics in my house, and they are clueless in the matter of love. I was surprised when Fred and George had the courage to ask you two out. On the other hand, I always wondered if Ron would ever be able to ask any girl, let alone Blaise, out without either wetting his pants or fainting," Ginny said and the girls shared a look and burst into a fresh peal of laughter.

"Speaking of Ron, what's his problem with Blaise? She is a nice girl and, if I am not wrong, Ron also likes her. Doesn't he?" Alicia asked Ginny.

"I am as curious as you are, but I will find out soon," Ginny told them determinedly.

"And what about that sexy one? Does he have any clue?" Angelina asked, jerking her head in Draco's direction, who was grinning toothily while he elbowed Ron as if they knew something that Harry didn't. The colour on Harry's cheeks was so obvious that no one had to ask what they were talking about. Unfortunately for Harry, girls and sex were always weak points for him. On the other hand, according to Ginny, if extra credits could be obtained through dating and flirting at Hogwarts, Draco would have a history of achieving the most.

"What about him?" Ginny seemed totally unconcerned. She started to gather her stuff as Hermione came inside and started to put her stuff in the bags.

"Oh, don't you try to be smart with us, Ginny," Angelina said dispassionately. "So that means you haven't forgiven him yet." She sighed, "Ginny, that pendent saved your life, and Draco did that at the time because it seemed a good idea for saving his own life as well."

"Well, the matter of forgiveness comes when someone thinks he is sorry for his actions. First, he didn't think he was wrong to put that pendent on my neck, not to mention, without asking me in, so there is no space left for saying sorry. Moreover, he never apologizes for any thing to anyone. He is always so damn annoying and full of himself."

"Sorry," said the other girl. They sat down on the couch. Alicia glared back at her twin, and looked over to Hermione for help. Hermione shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh! Who I am kidding?" Ginny said miserably as she left her bag and sat on the floor with a thud. "It's not the pendent at all that I am angry about. In fact the pendent doesn't bother me that much. It's his behaviour that bothers me; he thinks putting this pendent on my neck makes me belong to him. He...he is so possessive... and when he orders me around.... Don't even get me start with that. Damn dominating male," Ginny said angrily. Her voice rose as she talked and she strangled the cushion in her lap as she spoke, her expression no longer one of misery, but of pure malice as she imagined crushing Draco's skull into pulp. On the other hand, the girls' sympathies seemed to turn with that cushion right now, and Hermione's were with Draco.

"Ok..." said Hermione slowly, trailing off, and took the cushion from Ginny's hands slowly, before there was a shower of stuffing in the room. "Ginny, you have to understand that he won't lie, not about what he feels. He never lies; you know that, although he does conceal things. He's always painfully honest. He will like you, but won't want you to have expectations of him," Hermione said softly as she took Ginny's hand in her own. Hermione and Draco had always had a close friendship. Hermione knew all the different colours of his moods. She knew he loved Ginny, but being a Malfoy, and a stubborn one at that, he didn't accept it, at least aloud. Harry and Ron knew as well, at least felt it, but in acknowledgment of Draco and Ginny's events last year, nobody interfered.

"He does not like me, how many times do I have to tell you that?" Ginny said, annoyed. "He just uses 'love' to annoy me, and I am definitely not in love with him. I have no idea where you got that idea from. And if our constant life-long effort of killing each other makes you feel that we are madly in love with each other, then I am disappointed in your lack of imagination. We are not made for each other, there are no birds and bees, and no fluffy bunny feelings between us; and by the way, which part of I-am-not-in-love-with-him don't you understand?" She stopped abruptly on her own rambling.

"Ok, I think, I am going crazy; am I?" she asked the girls, who shook their heads in unison.

"No."

"On the other hand, you can put it in simple words that he is a waste of time and a total bastard and I don't trust him. How does that sound?" Ginny tried to sound all-cheerful and stood up to leave. Angelina grabbed her by the hand.

"Okay, then tell me why you haven't asked him to take that pendent off of your neck. Now that the Dark Lord has gone, it's not dangerous now, is it?" Alicia almost sounded like she was accusing Ginny. Ginny was stunned for a while and paled, too shocked to speak. Hermione looked at her worriedly, and glanced the other two. It was not hard to tell what she was thinking.

"Do you really think I haven't thought about it?" Ginny said and shook her head tiredly. "You don't understand, you didn't spend time with him, you don't know him at all. He is not a very easy person to be around, to understand, he is...he is so difficult," she spoke weakly. "Deep down in my heart, I know he won't do it. I don't know how, but I know he won't do it. He always does what he wants. It's as though he has some kind of mission to make my life miserable. I don't want to give him any more opportunities, so, I never asked him."

"Ginny, correct me if I am wrong. You are saying you are not going to ask him, and he won't do it by himself, then what are you thinking. Where are you both standing?" Alicia asked curiously.

"I have no idea. I am working on it," Ginny said tiredly.

Hermione knelt down on her knees and squeezed her hand. Ginny looked at her gratefully and smiled.

"You know, Hermione, don't you?"

Hermione nodded, but said nothing.

"But..."

"There are no, buts."

Angelina tried to argue, but Hermione stopped further arguments.

"I don't like him, for the last time," Ginny said darkly, determinedly. "And I would rather go snog Filch than to be in love with Draco Malfoy."

"Eeww.... Ginny, you are disgusting," the girls made faces and shrieked.

"Your useless ranting is not helping either, so just stop biting my head off, will you please?" she said chuckling on their reaction. "Honestly, at the rate you fuss over me, you could be my mother! Besides, Hermione is not dating either, but you don't seem to be bothered by that. Why me?" Ginny asked irritably. "It's not the first time I am not dating; you know that, I am so busy and these boys...Boys are so difficult... and... and I don't have time for that. Ok?" She finished and breathed deeply.

Hermione, who knew her best, just stared at her and wondered if she knew that Malfoy only teased her because he wanted her attention.

"We have faith in Hermione." The older girls changed the subject, very well aware of her temper.

"What's that supposed to mean, and where did I come into all of this?" Hermione's train of thought broke upon hearing the use of her name, looking at the three girls suspiciously.

"Okay, Hermione, what's the matter with you? What's your excuse?" Alicia asked.

"What was that outside?" Angelina added.

"That was nothing. You know Harry. He is always like that, and the boys are just jerks, including your brothers, Ginny," Hermione said casually.

"There was no one else besides my brothers, Hermione," Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

"Well, not all of them," Alicia said, frowning at her.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Ginny waved her hand.

"Ginny, we just want you to be happy. We all love you, just remember that," Angelina said and hugged her.

"I know, and believe me, I am happy," Ginny said and gently squeezed her hand in reassurance. "Just because you are dating Fred and George doesn't mean every girl on earth is your responsibility and you know what I think, you could be very good match maker; close this shop and start this matchmaking business." Hermione glare and stepped out. The girls started chuckling.

At the front desk they paid for their robes and said their good byes to each other. Fred and George promised their girlfriends they would meet up later, and the group stepped out of the shop.

The twins dragged Ginny into the joke shop, as she had promised them, and the three other boys went to the Quidditch store while Hermione went into the bookstore.

Weasely's Wizarding Wheezes was full of young witches and wizards. Lee Jordan was busy at the counter dealing with customers. After graduation, the twins had offered Lee the job of taking care of their shop because they were busy with the Order of the Phoenix.

Being their best friend, he had been the best option, and he had accepted. Since then, he had been taking care of the business while the twins were busy starting their new shop in Hogsmeade. He pretty much had control over the store, and had hired some help. So far, it worked out well. Lee saw them through the crowd when they entered and waved at them. They all walked over to the counter.

"Hello, mate!" Fred and George said and shook hands with Lee.

"Hello, Gin! How are you?" Lee asked Ginny pleasantly.

"I am fine, Lee. How is everything going? You seem pretty busy."

"Yeah, when school gets started, it always gets busy here," Lee smiled at her.

Ginny walked off to see the new tricks on display around the shop as Fred and George talked shop with Lee. Sometime later they left the shop and went to meet the others. In the meantime, everybody had finished their window-shopping and all of them went to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch, laden with shopping bags and thoroughly exhausted. After lunch Draco and Narcissa said their good-byes to the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione, and went to St. Mungo's while the Weasleys went back to the Burrow.

Narcissa was standing in front of room 7. She found Dr. Simon Jade in the room, writing something on the charts. A nurse was taking a table out, which had a tray on it with different potion bottles and different equipment. Dr. Jade welcomed her in.

"You are just in time. I was about to leave, and I am sure Mr. Lucius will be very happy with your company," Dr. Jade said with a smile. "Err... Young Malfoy," he started, but trailed off questionably and stopped. "I am sorry, Narcissa, it's really none of my business."

"No, no, it's fine. There is nothing to hide from you," Narcissa said. "He is outside. You know he is a Malfoy, and he is growing into a young man who needs his father. He is hurt and doesn't understand what to do. He was confused, but he is coming around. He has wonderful friends to help him through. I was very worried about him. I didn't know what I would do with him, he was always very quiet, but now he talks. Not with me, but with his friends, and I am happy for him. I am sure Lucius will be very happy when he will be able to see him." She turned to her husband's bed and held his hand gently.

"I am sure Lucius will be fine soon enough, and will be able to see what a wonderful job you have done with the young man," Dr. Jade said softly and turned to leave.

"Thank you, Dr. Jade. I never had time to thank you and Severus properly for everything that you have done for my husband. If it was not for the two of you, I don't know what I would have done, and I just wish you could tell me the other person who accompanies Lucius throughout so that I can thank her, too. I understand you made a promise, so just thank her and tell her that if there's anything I can do for her, it will be my pleasure."

"You don't have to thank me. What are friends for? As for the young woman who volunteered, I will personally thank her, and I have already told you that I asked if she wanted any favours in return, and she has refused. Believe me, Narcissa," Dr. Jade reassured her.

"Yes, I know," she sighed.

"I'll be in my office if you need anything," he said and promptly left the room. Draco was leaning against the wall; his hands folded in front of his chest when he saw Dr. Jade step out of the room. He pushed himself off the wall and shook hands with the doctor. Dr. Jade explained his father's condition to him. Draco listened carefully and thanked him. After Dr. Jade left, he went to the waiting room where he could see his father. His mother was sitting on the chair near his father's bed and he could see her talking to his father, but he couldn't hear. Draco hadn't stepped foot into his father's room since Lucius had been admitted there.

When he had read the news in the Daily Prophet about Voldemort murdering his father, Draco hadn't known what to do. He had felt empty – no emotions, no reactions, and definitely no tears had come out of his eyes. He had just locked himself in his room. After Voldemort had gone, he had been told that his father was alive and safe and even that day he hadn't felt anything. It had been two months now. Draco and Ginny had had a big argument, and everyone had agreed with Ginny, which had made Draco furious. He hadn't talked to her for a week, but in the end they had convinced him to visit his father. He had come to see his father, but he didn't step into his room. He had watched him through the waiting room window while his mother stayed with his father and talked to him.

_It's almost three months when he first came to the hospital. _

_Draco had never seen Lucius like that before. He had always seen him in command; so energetic. Draco's face was expressionless. Harry and Hermione were with him. Draco had not wanted to see Lucius, but Harry and Hermione had talked him into going._

"_Thank God he is okay. I am so sorry Draco and I hope he will be fine," Hermione said politely, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. _

"_I am not happy but I am not sorry for his condition, either," Draco said. His tone was so icy that she flinched violently and jerked her hand off of his shoulder, as if she had just touched an electrical wire. She looked at his face._

"_What?" Harry asked, surprised. "What are you talking about? He is your father and you just found out that he is alive, and you are telling me that you're not happy to see him?"_

"_Yes, Potter, that's what I mean. I wish the news were wrong and he were really dead."_

"_You don't mean it. You don't know what you are talking about." Hermione's shaky and horrified voice increased his anger._

"_Don't you dare tell me what I mean." He narrowed his eyes at her. His clenched jaw and icy glares made the hair on the back of her neck stand up straight. "Don't tell me that you're really happy to see him alive. His mission was to destroy you both, all of you, damn it. He hated Muggles his whole life." _

_Hermione stepped back, scared, when Draco turned sharply to face them. She bumped into Harry's chest and he caught her in his arms and stepped in front of her. _

"_Yes, he hated us, but this has nothing to do with us, and we are not sorry that he is not dead. Whatever kind of person he is or was, he is your father. We saw you back in school; your mission was to prove yourself to your father. Why are you doing this now?" Harry asked him, waving his hands impatiently. _

"_I don't want to talk about it now," he said and stormed out of the room without a second glance towards his father. He locked himself in the attic for two days, and made them promise that he would come out only if they wouldn't talk to him about his father. They promised him._

He was not acquainted with real friendship. Crabbe and Goyle were not counted as friends, and in the Slytherin house, the idea of friendship was foreign. They all worked together as long as there was some advantage for all of them equally. Otherwise, they never hesitated to kill one of their own partners if it came down to that in order to protect themselves. After defeating Voldemort, the teenage group became very popular. For Harry and his friends that attention was not new. The attention was not new to Draco, either, but the reason for his popularity was totally different now. The idea that people thought him, Lucius Malfoy's son, a Slytherin, to be good, was a novel one for Draco. He was still getting used to it.

Everybody always loses and gains something in war, in the Wizarding world as well as in the Muggle world. They had seen and learned so much together. Draco had learned the importance of friendship, family, right and wrong, the painful facts of life, the pain to lose someone who's very dear to you, and most importantly to make the right choices. That is always the most difficult part, but not too difficult if your friends are there to help you out; friends who never leave your side no matter what happens to them. They all had defeated the darkest and most evil wizard in the Wizarding world together. They were heroes, all of them.


	4. Chapter Three

Hello every one. Here goes third chapter and I hope you like it. I like to thank all the reviewers. I didn't tell you guys before that I have wrote this story in British English. There is a bit difference in American and British English. So, the spellings of some words are changed.

**CherrytreeDepartment**: thanks for liking the story so much.

**MoonlightPrincess:** Thank you.

**Bunny/Sailormoon: **Yeah I didn't tell you yet about the pendant. You didn't miss anything. Just hold on lots of is still to come.

**Soppjody: **Thank you.

**A/N: **There is lots of going on. Just hold on a little bit longer. There is a surprise for you guys, about Ginny and Harry's relationship. Tell me how do you like this and who could be that mystery boy. Any guesses.

Thanks to my wonderful beta. I won't be able to do it alone.  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Their journey to Hogwarts was uneventful. After settling down in the compartments, prefects, headed towards the head girl and head boy compartment, for their duties. They met Draco there. Draco and Hermione were always very strict when it came to duties and rules. Being head girl and head boy suited both of them very well. Ron and Harry always thought Hermione had the right amount of bossiness to fit the profile of head girl even though she threw caution to the wind when she was around them.  
  
Sometimes Ginny wondered whether Draco was born a leader or whether he had acquired that quality with time, or inherited it from his father? She wondered the same things about Harry, but there was a clear difference in the way they both assumed their leadership. Harry was charming; he had a magnetic personality. His nature was passionate and down to earth; people followed him of their own free will. Draco, on the other hand, was diplomatic and clever. A con artist, and an actor. The whole world was his stage where he played by his own rules. His intense grey eyes had something in them that compelled people to believe him, intimidated them.  
  
Ginny was tired. Working late nights to complete her potions in her room when the entire house went to sleep meant she couldn't catch much sleep. Now, she wanted to take a nap, desperately. After patrolling in compartments, she ate her lunch, sealed herself in a compartment, and went to sleep, and woke only when Hermione came to tell her that they were almost at Hogsmeade and she must change into her robes. After changing into her school robes, she stepped out of the compartment.  
"Did you have a good sleep Gin?" Harry came out of another compartment and smiled at her.  
  
"Oh! Yeah it feels good and refreshing; I can't believe I was so tired and hungry..." she smiled when her stomach rumbled.  
  
Harry laughed and gave her some chocolate.  
  
"Me too".  
  
Both were standing in the corridor, leaning beside of the compartment wall.  
  
"I am surprised no one came to wake me up earlier."  
  
"Well! Draco was getting bored, and was about to going to wake you, but you know Ron..." Harry left the sentence in the middle. "He warned Draco to leave you alone and you know Draco. He turned on Ron and started arguing and then all of sudden, I am still not sure how, the conversation turned on Blaise and the rest as they say is history," he ended with a sigh.  
  
"Hermione and I tried our best to calm the two of them down. Hermione even threatened Draco, that if he came near the compartment; she would take points from the Slytherin," Harry told her with an amused grin, and his grin grew wider, when he told her, that Draco was so angry with Ron and Hermione that he accused them of spoiling Ginny.  
  
"Really? "  
  
Ginny asked him with wide grin as Harry nodded. Harry and Ron were Hermione's best friends but she was also very close to Ginny.  
  
"Hermione is such a sweet heart," she said delightedly. "And Ron such an idiot. Seriously, he is so easy to manipulate. Malfoy such a prat, and Blaise is such a good girl, and wasting her time on a fool," Ginny sighed sadly.  
  
"And you are such an observer," Harry added, smiling.  
  
"Where are Hermione and Ron by the way?" Ginny asked him curiously, sharing the chocolate.  
  
"They just left for the prefects duties, arguing as usual, which I suppose you have to do too, don't you?" Harry asked her stuffing a big piece of chocolate in his mouth.  
  
"Yeah well! Both of them do quite well without me, so I think I can take a break," Ginny smiled.  
  
"I am not talking about arguing, you know that! I am talking about prefect duties," he laughed.  
  
She took the chocolate wrapper from his hands crushed it in her fist, and tossed into nearby dustbin and turned to him. "Did you see Blaise anywhere?"  
  
"Yeah! Once, Ron came in a while before with her and she said something to Ron. He got angry with her and she pissed off and went some where, Draco gave Ron very colourful threats" Harry told her with a sigh.  
  
"Harry, I wanted to talk to you about Ron. What is wrong with him? Blaise is a good girl, and that git of my brother likes her too. Although, they are not an official couple and he hasn't asked her out yet it's obvious that they like each other. Don't you think?" she trailed of and heaved a long sigh while shoving a piece in her mouth hastily as if about to chew Ron or Draco alive. "He will talk to you...you know 'boy trouble'. Will you try to put some sense in his fat brain?" she asked with a frown. "And while you are at it, you should think about yourself." She poked her finger in his upper arm in a gesture that for some reason reminded him of Molly Weasley, "I think it is about time you got yourself a girlfriend too."  
  
"And who that would be?" Harry asked her, smiling.  
  
"For God's sake Harry there are thousands of girls in Hogwarts dying to go out with you." Ginny frowned at him, "Find some one nice, umm... not some one like Cho... but someone nice... you know... Someone who will understand you. Someone you don't have to spend all the time offering tissues to, while she tells you about her ex-boyfriend. Some one nice..." she trailed off, stopped, and looked at Harry when she heard him chuckling.  
  
"What's so funny," she arched an eyebrow and asked indignantly.  
  
Harry looked at her, amazed at how Draco-like the gesture was.  
  
"Nothing, I was trying to remember where I have heard this before... umm..." he tapped his finger thoughtfully on his chin, while staring into space. "Oh yeah! Hermione! Yes Hermione, had given me the same kind of speech... Have you two been practicing for this or do you have some script kind of thing written about my love life?" he asked innocently.  
  
"We care about you, you idiot or has this never occurred to you before. Hermione cares about you," she glared at him putting her both hands on her hips, when he started snickering again.  
  
"Stop it Harry."  
  
"Ok...Ok, I'll talk to Ron and I'll think about myself too. Happy?" He held up both hands in surrender and smiled at her. "By the way, if you're suggesting that I get a girlfriend, then you surely must have a girl in mind too, don't you?" Harry raised his dark eyebrow at her. "Maybe I know some one good for you, but you have to use your mind and eyes," she leaned against the wall again.  
  
"Really? Who?" Harry asked, his interest piqued.

"Oh Harry! How can you be so naïve? You are so blind," she shook her head in dismay. Harry frowned at her.

"What's that supposed to mean? I have dated Cho; you know that, you just said it. And after that you know I was so busy, we all were so busy in that prophecy and all that stuff, that dating was the least of my worries. You of all people know that better than anyone else. Then how can you accuse me of being blind? Ron never going on dates either and neither do Draco and Hermione. But I am the only one being hauled up for fighting the war of my life instead of dating," he said fuming, his hands folded over his broad chest.

Ginny smiled at his angry face, and tried to slip her hands under his. He frowned at her again, but let her hands slip through. He always loved it when she did that. Her warm smiling face and soft brown eyes melted his temper in seconds. Harry loved her so much; he loved the fact that he finally had a sister. It was the next best thing that had ever happened to him in his entire life after he found out that Sirius was his godfather and his parents' best friend. He had often wished for a brother or a sister, which was probably why the Burrow, always full of smiling faces and bickering Weasleys made him feel so at home. However, he never tried to _be_ Ginny's big brother. Knowing her temper and stubborn independence, he always tried to be her friend more than a brother. That was probably why she was so close to him and actually listened to him.

"You didn't listen to a word that I said? Think about it Harry, how many people are there who really know you, and how many of them are girls?" she asked him. Harry tried to ignore her question. "Harry," she shook him.

"Okay okay, I am thinking. Don't break my shoulder." She smiled at him sweetly and waited watching the wheels turn in Harry's brain and his eyes take on the faraway look of someone deep in thought.

Cho was the first girl I ever asked out. However, that doesn't count since that was the only once time. She didn't know me at all. However, she did want to make up again. Which wouldn't have worked out at all. Luna... Luna. No way! The only people who know me really well are Ron, Draco, Ginny and Hermione. Ron and Draco don't count, which leaves me with Ginny and Hermione. Ginny is my sister, which leaves just one person and that is Hermione.

"The only girls who know me well enough are you and..." he trailed off. Ginny bit her lips hard to suppress her laughter on seeing the look on Harry's face, when the realisation hit him.

"You ...you don't mean Hermione? Do you?" he asked horrified, snatching his hands out.

"What do you want to hear?"

"Oh no, you don't mean that. You can't mean that."

"And why not?" Ginny asked soberly. "Oh God! Boys! I knew this was not going to be easy but..."

"Don't you remember what happened with Ron and Hermione back in our fourth year? They went out and they couldn't make it last because best friends don't make a good couple. Besides, I have never thought of Hermione in that way," Harry finished with a glare.

"Harry, don't be ridiculous. Of course best friends can make a good couple. It is just a question of two people who are meant to be together. Ron and Hermione have totally different personalities, which is fine for best friends." She quickly placed her finger on his lips to keep him quite before he could say something. "That was nothing Harry, it was just a trap of time, it was only a teen age boy's first crush on his best friend, just like you had for Cho. That meant nothing. Besides your relationship is going to be different from theirs. You and Hermione don't fight all the time like they did."

Harry ran his hand impatiently through his hair and started pacing in front of her. "Ginny, you have no idea what are you talking about. What would she think about me? I am her best friend? How can I think something like that about Hermione?" he mumbled while pacing.

"You know, you are right. She is your best friend. Let's just keep it that way. You keep your eyes closed and stuff you ear with beeswax. And I will cheer Victor Krum all the way to the finish line when he proposes to Hermione. I'll even help pick out the wedding dress," Ginny bluffed, all the while silently praying that Hermione should never find out the details of this conversation.

"Victor proposed to Hermione?" Harry asked suddenly, his green eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Ginny looked at him pointedly, "No Harry, not yet. But he might, someday. Or some other guy might. She is smart, pretty and intelligent. Everything any boy could wish for, don't you think? Oh wait, I forgot, YOU DON'T THINK OF HER THAT WAY!"

Harry leaned back against the wall with a sigh of relief. "Ginny, you are evil!" Harry remembered his conversation with Krum back in fourth year, when he had asked Harry if there was something going on between Hermione and he. Harry began to understand how Ron had felt when Hermione had gone to the ball with Krum. "You know it's hard thinking of her this way."

"I know, but not impossible. Just don't push it too hard, and don't be so hard on yourself."

"Ginny..." His warning tone and pink colour brought a smile on her face.

"You are such a sweet heart and you are perfect for each other, and I want you to be happy, both of you."

"I don't know Ginny," Harry said sounding unsure.

"Have you been in Bulgaria before Harry?"

"No, why?" he asked her with surprise

"No reason. You can come with me when I go to visit Hermione and Krum after the wedding."

"GINNY."

She laughed at his outrage. "Harry, I was joking. Maybe they will prefer living in London."

"I am not talking to you anymore Gin. Don't talk to me."

"Oh stop it Harry. What are you, twelve? Come on." She shoved him with her shoulder.

Harry watched her out of the corner of his eye, twinkling eyes, and pink face, and he couldn't take it any more and smiled with her.

"You are an evil witch. Do you think it will work?"

"Positive," she answered him with a smile and kissed him on the cheek. "You are going to be great together. I know it."

"I'll...I'll think about it."

"Good enough for me."

Both stood there in silence before Harry pulled her braid, "Thank you Gin."

"Hey... This is not what sisters are for, you know," she protested. "And is this how you thank you someone?"

"I can boss you around too," Harry replied with a grin.  
  
"Huh... Potter, only in your dreams."  
  
He laughed and kissed her on forehead. "No one can win with you Gin."  
  
"Well... I won't bet on that Potter, I am still alive. " Their conversation was interrupted by Draco and others. They both turned to look at Draco, who looked a little annoyed. He was followed by Ron who appeared at the other end of the corridor with Hermione and Blaise. Blaise looked as miserable as Ron and they were both clearly ignoring each other. Harry looked at Hermione, as though he was seeing her for the first time, and found himself spellbound by her understated beauty. Harry's mouth went dry and he tensed beside Ginny. Ginny squeezed his hand softly with a soft smile. He smiled in return, and greeted them.  
  
"Did you sleep well Gin?" Blaise asked her with a warm smile.  
  
"Yeah, very good."  
  
"What's going on?" "Nothing, just... nothing," Harry smiled and shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Ok, I will take that as an I-don't-want-to-talk-about-it-right-now. So maybe later then?" Ron said when the Hogwarts express stopped with a jerk. "Yeah later," Harry assured him.  
  
"Anyway, thanks for pulling that," Draco smirked as he pointed at Ginny's long braid and winked at her. In answer, Ginny squinted her eyes at him and mouthed him, "Rascal".  
  
Ron glared at Draco who evenly returned the favour. Harry rolled his eyes at both of them, and pulled Ginny with him into her compartment for her stuff, anxious to avoid another pointless argument. Hermione and Blaise followed suit with Ron and Draco.  
  
They were greeted by a refreshing wind as they stepped out of the train. Ginny looked at the darkening ink blue sky, with scattered clouds and flocks of birds flying back to their nests. She felt just like them - free. Ginny smiled at the familiar feeling of the place, "Welcome back Ginny," she whispered to herself and stepped forward.  
  
"Where is Hagrid?" she asked Hermione.  
  
"I don't know." "Maybe he's busy with new creatures," Ron answered.  
  
Meanwhile Harry had found an empty carriage. Ginny eyed them sadly as they put their stuff inside. Unfortunately all of them and most of the school students could see the horses now.  
  
After Ginny, Draco, Ron and Hermione, had dispensed with their duties, the carriages took them to the castle. Ron was complaining about how hungry he was and how slow the carriages were. Hermione gave him a lecture and now Ron sat scowling, quietly watching out of the window. Ginny giggled and Ron glared at her. Harry and Ron start talking about the coming year of Quidditch. Hermione was reading some book and Ginny sat quietly and watched the grounds.  
  
The Great hall was packed with students busy relating their adventures over the vacations to each other. But the noise died down once the Sorting hat sang its song. This year the hat sang a happy song about the bond between the four houses, which would become stronger in the coming years than ever before in the history of Hogwarts. Finally, the sorting ceremony started.  
  
"Hey! Who do you reckon who will be the DADA teacher this year?" Ron asked, sitting across the table from Hermione, studying the teachers' table where, McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, Sprout and Madam Pomfrey were sitting. Two seats were, however, empty.

"Probably Remus or maybe Moody," Hermione said absentmindedly. "I wonder whose seat is empty?" Hermione said. Harry glanced at the table and grimaced.

"Ugh! Snape is still here. There goes yet another year of my life."

"Don't be ridiculous Harry: he was not that bad last year now, was he?" Hermione asked him.

"Yeah well! No not that bad actually, he did his best to ignore me and that suited me fine," Harry smiled slightly.  
  
During the sorting ceremony, Ginny lazily let her eyes roam around the Great Hall, which was full of students' happy faces. It was strange seeing so many students again in Hogwarts after the past two years when parents refused to send their children to school because of their fear of the Dark Lord and their lack of faith in Dumbledore.  
  
There was an air of excitement in the Great Hall and everyone clapped whenever a new student was sorted into one of the houses. Ginny sat with Colin and Christina – her best friends – and joined in the fanfare with enthusiasm. Her eyes travelled to the Slytherin table and she smiled at Draco, who seemed absolutely bored by the sorting ceremony. Blaise was telling him something, in answer to which he was just nodding while glaring at Pansy. Luna Lovegood sat at the Ravenclaw table seemingly unconcerned and looking into space as if she was there by mistake. Ginny smiled. She liked Luna. Even though every one thought her to be a little off, Luna was very good hearted and loving.  
  
Her attention returned to the staff table when the sorting ceremony ended and Professor Dumbledore stood up to greet everyone. "Welcome back to another year of Hogwarts. The forest is forbidden for all students. I am very pleased to announce that Professor Lupin has joined Hogwarts once again as the new DADA teacher but as he is not present here at the moment, I will receive his cheers on his behalf," Dumbledore said with twinkling eyes as the Great Hall rang out with applause and loud cheering. Professor Lupin was a very popular teacher, and even the Slytherins liked him. "Our other new member of staff is also not here but he will be joining us shortly with Hagrid. Please welcome Charlie Weasley, our new Care of Magical Creatures teacher." This time the noise was loudest from the Gryffindor table as the Weasley family broke out into loud cheering. The Headmaster smiled and waited for the noise to die down.  
  
"Last year we could not complete our trip to the city of London for Muggle studies students, so this year a trip will be organised for the sixth and seventh year students." This last announcement was met by mixed reactions, the junior students proclaiming in annoyed voices that it was not fair. "That is all. Let the feast begin."

Draco thanked God that the sorting ceremony was over. He was currently in the middle of the worst day of his life. The argument with Ron was hanging heavy on him, besides which Blaise was angry with him for having dragged her into his argument for no reason. And to top it all off, Pansy was not leaving him alone.

On hearing the announcement of the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher his attention had turned to the Gryffindor table where Ginny was jumping up and down with joy. Even though he knew how much Ginny loved her brothers, he scowled thinking how many of her family members would now be in Hogwarts, ready to pound him to a pulp at any attempts to tease her.

"Oh that's going to be a fun trip to the city." His attention turned to the girls at his own table. Pansy was already debating what to wear. Draco rolled his eyes, "Don't you girls have something else to worry about other than what to wear or how to impress the boys?"

"No, not really," Pansy said cheerfully. "You've changed Draco. Half the girls in school would kill themselves to impress you. You used to enjoy that. What happened to you?" Draco ignored Pansy's comments and looked away resolutely.

"What should I wear, Draco?" Pansy asked sweetly. Too sweetly, Draco decided.

"Why the hell you are asking me? I don't care what you do or don't wear one way or another," he retorted and glared at Blaise, who was snickering.

"Oh Draco! Do you want me to wear...?" she trailed off shyly, "You know I missed you too," Pansy leaned into him and purred in his ear.

"Bloody hell Parkinson! I didn't miss you." Draco swore as he pushed her away. Pansy's eyes flashed with anger, and she looked hard at him and then at the Gryffindor table. "Oh! I know why are you doing this. It's that horrible Weasel. Mark my words Draco, she will never be yours and I will make sure of that. You're mine and I don't like to lose." "Draco..." Blaise warned, but Draco already had Pansy's arm in a vice like grip and he turned her around to face him. "That was the last time you'll say anything about Ginny. You so much as go near her and I'll make sure you regret it for the rest of your pathetic life," he said through clenched teeth. "My pathetic life?" she hissed back evenly. "What about you? Following the Gryffindors like a stray puppy begging for some crumbs. You're the one who's pathetic, Draco."

Blaise watched the change of expression on Draco's face warily. "Stupid girl can't keep her mouth shut," she said to herself.

Draco's watched Pansy through narrowed, storm-coloured eyes. Pansy stared back at him defiantly, but her defiance turned into a whimper as the grip on her arm tightened for a fraction of a second before Draco pushed her back into her seat.

"Stay out of my way Parkinson. I won't tell you again," Draco said as he sat back down.

"What?" he asked irritably when he felt Blaise's eyes on him. She just shook her head and sighed.

"Nothing."

Unaware of being watched by two pairs of eyes, which turned from him and Pansy towards the Gryffindor table, Draco faced Blaise with a smile.  
  
"Oh, come on Blaise, you still aren't angry with me, are you?"  
  
Blaise merely arched one beautiful eyebrow at him in response. "Fine, I won't tease him," Draco grinned toothily. "He is just so easy to manipulate. Just say Ginny's name and he hits the roo..." Draco trailed off, the smile wiped off his face at the furious look in Blaise's eyes. He sighed and put his fork down. "I am just joking. I promise I won't drag Ginny in again. Ok?"  
  
The expression on Blaise's face softened a bit. "It's not funny Draco, and especially for Ron. He won't stand being manipulated because of Ginny. And he is not Harry. Don't you dare do that again. He doesn't hate you anymore but he won't be very fond of you either if you drag Ginny in or interfere between us. If you think you are helping me, you are wrong. It will push Ron farther away from me. Don't involve Ginny in this. In fact don't involve your self in it at all. I don't need your help. I can deal with him by myself. Don't worry about me." She held up her hand to stop him from interrupting. "Just listen to me. Do you think Ginny won't be angry with you, when she finds out that you were threatening her brothers using her as bait? But you don't care for that, do you? Draco, I don't know what you plan to do with or to Ginny, but please don't hurt her. She deserves much much more than that. I couldn't have done it...put my life in your hands, but she did. Or rather you put her in a situation where she didn't have a choice. Either way, she trusted you. And the only reason she did that was for her family. The least you could do is respect that." By now tears had welled up in Blaise's eyes and she got up and ran out of the hall.  
  
Draco stared after her; dumbfound, unable to understand, what had just happened. Obviously, he had not been expecting this. He had been prepared for totally Slytherin conversation...dangerous with some colourful swears thrown in with her unladylike self. Blaise was the only in Slytherin who could talk to him like that. He didn't have any other friends but Blaise filled the space just as well. However, this was different. He was not expecting a reaction like that. He knew she had grown as fond of Ginny as Hermione, and always took her side, but this was too much. Nevertheless, she was already gone. He swore under his breath and ran after her.  
  
"What the hell..." Ginny and Hermione looked up at the same time from their conversation on hearing Ron's surprised exclamation and looked towards the door where Draco was running after Blaise.  
  
"Miss Weasley, a word with you please." She heard her head of house call her and she shared a concerned look with Hermione. "You go, I'll find out" Hermione assured her and turned to the first year crowd.  
  
Ginny walked behind McGonagall wondering what had happened between Draco and Blaise. If there was anyone Draco cared for after his mother, it was Blaise. Must be a misunderstanding, she concluded.  
  
"Yes Professor?" They were in McGonagall's room.  
  
"Sit please. Last year the circumstances were...you know. What have you decided about you career? Have you given it any serious thought yet?" McGonagall asked her.  
  
"I am not sure, Professor," Ginny admitted reluctantly. "It was all so uncertain, I couldn't make up my mind. I don't want to be an Auror. Not that I don't like the job, but I don't want to spend all my life chasing the death eaters," she added hastily. "Don't want to be a healer either. I have seen enough blood to last a lifetime. I don't think I can bear anymore. I am good at Potions. May be potion maker. However, if you ask me...I want to do something different." She finished reluctantly.  
  
"Do tell me about it," Professor McGonagall asked with interest.  
  
Ginny shifted in her seat and looked at her professor uncertainly. Professor McGonagall could see Ginny debating whether or not to tell her.  
  
"You know Miss Weasley, it's an important decision. I can understand your hesitation. So many students are unsure of what they want to do after school. Any thing you tell me shall stay between us.  
  
"Yes I know and thank you. I appreciate your patience too, it's...just...you won't laugh at me, will you?"  
"No of course not! What ever you decide, it's your decision and I will respect that." "Ok then! I...I always wanted to be a magical creatures healer. There, I said it." She watched her professor intently for a reaction, but to her great relief, McGonagall smiled softly.  
  
"Well I was certainly not expecting this. Don't get me wrong. Not that this is a bad idea, and profession. But..." Professor McGonagall sighed. "It's just...you are such a talented student, your skills are magnificent, and it is not just I, but even the headmaster and Professor Snape think so too. You are working on such an important project and if you are able to find a cure for werewolf bite..." she trailed off.  
  
"We all have great hopes from you Ginny, and I know it would be selfishness to ask you to change your decision about your future, but still I will ask you to think about it again. Now, the other thing I wanted to discuss with you is, Mr. Robins." Knowing the immediate question Ginny would ask, she continued, "He is fine. You needn't worry about anything."  
  
Ginny relaxed but attentively waited for the Professor to continue. "Although, Professor Snape will give you all the information regarding this assignment, for now as head of Gryffindor house I have to inform you, that there is a conference for healers in few months. The date is not confirmed yet, but we will inform you as soon as we know anything. The potions incharge at St. Mungo's recommended your name. It is an honour for us that one of our students and more importantly someone your age was chosen to elaborate on your recent assignment."  
  
"But Professor I didn't finish it," Ginny said miserably. "I couldn't find all the ingredients, I do not even know all of them yet. How can I elaborate on it in the conference?"  
Ginny sat there dazed by the news. She had been working so hard on this new potion, which was meant to be a cure for werewolf bite, but she hadn't found all the ingredients. They were very hard to find, and as time went by, she wondered more and more how long it would take for her to complete the potion.  
"Aren't you happy, Ginny?" Professor McGonagall asked, slightly baffled by the young woman's silence.  
  
"Oh, of course I am happy but what if I don't make any progress by the date of the conference?"  
  
"I know, it's a hard and time consuming project. But we all believe in you. We know you can do it, and if at any point you need our help, we are here for you Ginny. All you need to do is ask." Ginny's heart soared with delight on hearing McGonagall's words. She answered with a small smile, "Thank you professor. That's very kind of you. I'll try my best."  
  
"Now, did you hear from Mr. Robins? How is he doing?"  
  
"He is alright - miserable, disappointed and very angry with me but fine all the same. You know it's not easy for him and he is alone. I got his owl a few days before," Ginny told her.  
  
"Yes I know. May be he could visit here sometime?" McGonagall suggested with a smile.  
  
"Really? Can he come here? Would Professor Dumbledore allow him to visit me?" Ginny asked excitedly. Her head of house smiled softly at her excitement and nodded, "Maybe. Now go to bed. It's late. Professor Snape will fill you in tomorrow." Ginny thanked the professor and headed towards the Gryffindor tower.  
  
Her head was full of different thoughts – school, volunteer work for the hospital and this assignment. _I need Hermione. And I have to send an owl to Robins first thing in the morning._ The image of Mike Robins brought a smile on her face. She was walking in a trance, when some one cleared their throat in a dark spot of the corridor and she jumped in surprise.  
  
It was late. He was standing in the corridor nearby McGonagall's office, waiting for Ginny. He heard the familiar soft bells of Ginny's anklet, the harmony of the bells matched with his heartbeat. The sound always soothed his nerves and his mood. These sounds were a part of his memories and his present.  
  
Ginny sometimes wondered how he knew where she would be all the time. She had even asked him once of he owned an invisibility cloak using which he followed her around, intent on his mission to scare her to death. He had laughed and given her a vague response which she hadn't bothered pursuing. Knowing him, he wouldn't have told her anyway.  
  
He pulled himself away from the wall but didn't come out in the dark. He had already finished his patrolling in the corridors with Hermione and had decided to wait for Ginny in the corridor.  
  
"It's about time. Any longer and I might have had to sue you for making me freeze my organs waiting for you."  
She glared at him, "Who told you to wait for me anyway? I know my way to the dorm. What are you doing here? Don't you have first year students to scare and give detentions to, be generally nasty?" she asked before walking ahead. She knew he was dying to know what McGonagall had wanted to talk to her about, but ignored all his attempts to ask her. He started walking with her, "Don't give me ideas." Ginny rolled her eyes, "Oh please! Like you haven't done that before."

Draco ignored Ginny's remark. "What did McGonagall want?"

"Tell me what happened with Blaise?" she asked evenly.

"I asked first," Draco said, grabbing Ginny's wrist.

"I don't care whether you asked first or not. Answer my question if you want an answer to yours." Ginny freed her hand from his grip.

"Did you say something to Ron on the train to piss him off and now she has found out?"

Though he didn't answer her, his square shoulder and tense features told her that she was right. She sighed, and walked past him.

"Why do you feel that everyone's life is your business and you have to poke your nose in it?" Ginny asked him, when he looked away.  
  
"Well! If he stops being such a weasel about things, I might be tempted to not interfere in his matters. And by the way _my_ friend is also involved in this."  
Ginny just glared him. "Ron is not like yo..." Ginny stopped short. "...that," she finished. "He will never hurt her, you know that. What have you done to make him so angry?"  
  
"Why did you stop Ginny? Ron is not like me, isn't that what you were going to say?" Draco's silver eyes flashed with anger. He stopped in front of her blocking her way. Ginny just stared at him, unable to talk for a moment.  
  
"You are unbelievable." Her mind was full of nasty things to say which she couldn't put into mere words. She silently walked past Draco, a frown creasing her brow.  
  
"And irresistible too," he added while watching her with narrowed eyes. Ginny turned around, retort ready on her lips, but stopped. She was tired and she wanted to go to bed. Draco watched her as she closed her eyes and ran a hand through her already dishevelled hair. He felt the familiar rush of desire overwhelm his senses. She was the one looking irresistible. Her untied hair framing the soft lines of her face, her creamy skin glowing in the half light of the corridor, the light throwing the faded web of scars into relief, her charm bracelet hanging limp against her wrist, the dark brown mole on the left side of her neck just above the collarbone. It was all Draco could do to stop his hand from reaching out and touching it.  
  
His mind was split in two – one part urging him to act on his desires and the other cautioning him against it.  
  
_Damn it, this is hard. I can't go on like day after day and not given in. She's the most beautiful girl I've ever laid my eyes on. How can I not want her? This is so damn hard...I... _ Before he knew it, Draco had blocked her way by putting one hand across the wall in her way.  
  
He watched the expression on her face change from one of curiosity to one of slow simmering rage. He found himself immune to her rage, and yet somehow vulnerable in front of those dark chocolate eyes. He wondered if it was possible. "Let me go Malfoy. I don't know why we are having this conversation anymore. You are wasting your time and mine." "Maybe I like talking to you, and maybe I am not wasting my time," he said in his rich and persuasive voice. He put his head towards one side, looked her up and down and stepped towards her. Ginny immediately stepped back. She could argue with Draco Malfoy for hours but when his beautiful silver eyes started dancing with sparks of mischief in them she could not handle him. Those were the times when warning bells went off in her brain telling her to stay on her guard. She vowed to resist her traitorous desires, refusing to yield to his seductive appeal like every girl in the school. It troubled her that he could arouse such strong feelings in her. Despite, his flaws, he still seemed magnificent to her.  
Her anger, when she was brave enough to admit the truth to herself, was a way of keeping him at bay. She felt goose bumps rising on her arms and her heart jumped to her throat. But she took a deep calming breath and said, "Oh! You are, I assure you. I don't want to be a pawn on your chessboard Draco. And don't look at me like that," she added warningly, pointing her finger at him, trying to control her erratic heartbeat.  
  
"I am not playing with you Ginny" Draco said softly. "I care for you, don't you see that?"  
  
"You have a funny way of showing that Malfoy. How stupid do you think I am that I will actually believe you?" she said coldly. "I am sure Ron has never done any thing comparable to what you have done to me Draco. I can give you a whole list of things. Hell, I have lost count, and here you are threatening him, judging him."  
  
"He tried to kill me and Harry, remember that?" Draco asked lamely.  
  
"You used me for crying out loud, their only sister," she said sharply. "You put this bloody pendent around my neck without asking me, not to mention the side effect of wearing it." She pulled the chain around her throat. Along with the chain, there was a beautiful crystal pendent, bigger and thicker than a Galleon. There was a dragon carved in the crystal. The only colour in the pendent came from the red eyes of the dragon. If looked at suddenly the pendent seemed to have a small dragon with blood red eyes trapped inside.  
  
Draco arched his eyebrow and smirked. "Really, I thought you were not bothered by it's side effects. Does it offend you now?" he drawled lazily.  
  
"Certainly not." But her cheeks turned pink and she squinted her eyes at him with clenched jaw and pushed him aside. "You have made me do things, that you wanted, things which I despised. You claimed me, in front of my whole family and ordered me around like a slave and humiliated me," she said angrily. "You have done so much even after that. For God's sake Draco, are you really that thick? Don't you have a heart? I don't deserve this, no body deserves this, but, here I am absorbing every thing you have thrown at me like a sponge, and you're still not satisfied. Do you think it's easy for Ron and Harry to accept all of this? Ron...he always blamed himself for things that you were responsible for. And you think it's funny to use me to mock him. How can be you so cruel? What kind of a friend are you? Just don't do it, promise me you won't do it again," she said tired. Draco cringed at the look on her face. Her eyes red rimmed, her face pink with emotion. Draco mentally kicked himself for making her cry.  
  
He caught her by the wrist as she walked past him. "I never meant to do those things to you Ginny. I...I...never wanted to harm you," he said softly, remorsefully.  
  
She didn't turn to face him, but he felt her body tense. She tried to free her hand with a jerk, but he held on.  
  
"Look at me Ginny,"  
  
"Let go of me Malfoy. You must have some nerve to say that to me," Ginny said through clenched teeth. By this time they had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.  
  
"This is my house. What are you doing here? Don't you have somewhere else to be?" Ginny asked him with a certain amount of annoyance.  
  
"Don't try and change the subject. Just listen to me, please. You know I didn't do it intentionally. Ok, ok...maybe once," he added hastily when he saw the rage bubbling in her eyes. "But I am not going to hurt you again. And I am not going any where or letting you go either until you believe me," he said stubbornly.  
  
"This isn't magic Draco. It doesn't work that way. I can't just wipe off my memories and my past."  
  
"You still don't trust me," Draco said in a flat voice.  
  
"Bingo! You have a gift for seeing the obvious Malfoy," Ginny said dryly. She thought she saw a look of regret pass through Draco's face, but an instant later the shutters were back in place hiding his feelings from the rest of the world. There were times when Ginny wondered of Draco was anything but stone, if there was a soft core to him, one that felt pain and joy and sorrow and love. But however much she wanted to know the answer, she was not sure this was one of those times when the answer would help.  
  
"Are you going to tell me password or not?" the Fat Lady cut in, even as the common room's door opened and an angry Hermione stepped out. Ginny freed her hand with a jerk and slipped through right away without a word. Hermione pulled Draco in and glared him.  
  
"You're the Head boy. Do I have to remind you that? And Ginny, you're a prefect. Can't you two stop stepping on each other's toes once in a while for a change? To humour the rest of us, give us a break from your constant bickering." Hermione turned to Ginny, who was turning to go to her dorm. Ron and Harry were sitting near the fireplace, playing chess.  
  
"What took you so long Ginny? Is everything alright?" Harry asked her as he and Ron made their way to where Hermione was standing with Draco.  
"I was not fighting. He was standing there in the dark and scared me to death and then he followed me here. I was just telling him to go away and let us be, but nooo...! How could he have gone to sleep without torturing us?"  
  
Harry chuckled on hearing Draco groan, but his smile dies when he saw Ron glaring at Draco. He pulled Ron and Ginny to the fireplace and sat down next to them.  
  
"Grow up you two," Hermione said as she dragged Draco to the fireplace and sat down with him in front of the others.  
"What took you so long Gin"? Harry asked her again.  
  
"She's not telling, Harry. Don't bother. That's what I wanted to know but she refused to say anything."  
  
"McGonagall wanted me to think over my decision about a career after Hogwarts," Ginny replied, immaturely sticking her tongue out at Draco's aghast face.  
  
"And which is...?" Ron asked curiously. "I haven't given it much thought really...I don't know yet. Oh...I am so confused," she answered putting her face in her both hands. "Ok, we'll we talk about it later. It's already too late. I was waiting for you to tell the password to my room." Hermione unfolded the parchment in her hand, and at that moment, Ginny's head snapped up. She stood up urgently, interrupting Hermione.  
  
"Err...I think I should go, I am tired, so...I'll see you tomorrow. Night all," she said urgently while backing off. Hermione stared at her for a while inquiringly and then she peeked in the parchment.  
  
"Huh? Yeah I think you should go," she said trying hard not to laugh.  
  
"Wait a minute, what's the rush?" Draco snatched the paper out of Hermione's hand. Hermione took a sharp breath and pushed Ginny to the door. Harry and Ron turned to look at Draco who was standing with the parchment in his hand, looking horrified.  
  
"Ginny!" he yelled finally. "You did this. I swear I'll kill you. And how could you let her do this?"  
He asked Hermione angrily. But Ginny was already in her dormitory. Ron and Harry were laughing so hard that they had tears in their eyes. Hermione was trying very hard not to laugh. Draco was furiously looking at them.  
  
"Oh! My God Draco, Ginny got you there. I think she chose the perfect password for you, 'Blondie, mummy's boy'. See how much she cares about you. You will feel at home in your room, specially when Pansy uses this password to get to you." Ron was rolling on floor and Harry was wiping his eyes.  
  
"Oh, come on Draco it's not so bad?" Hermione tried to calm him down.  
  
"I will get her for this. Tell her that and you stop that Weasley. I was right on train. She won't get away with this I swear," he announced as he left the room.  
  
"Shut up you guys. He is really angry. I told her not to mess with his password," Hermione said worriedly.  
"Oh, come on Herms, he will be fine," Harry said to her before they all started laughing again.

**A/N: **So the chapter is finish for now.I know, I know what are you thinking that how does that happen, Ginny and Harry Godsister and brother. Well you have to wait for that to find out.

**Next Chapter: **What that pendant meant for Draco and how Ginny got that pendant? Flash back.

Please review.


	5. Chapter Four

**Author's Note:** In this chapter, flash back. Ginny thinks how she got involved with Draco and Draco thinks what he had done with Ginny. Thanks to all that reviewed for the last chapter and liked it. And Thanks to my beta. I really appreciate her work and all effort.

Chapter Four

Ginny sat back a little and gazed out of the window. After a long sleep in the train, she couldn't go to sleep right away. She changed into her pyjamas and sat on the window ledge, watching the moonlight dance over the grounds. Ever since she'd been a little girl, Ginny had loved watching the night sky with it's millions of stars fighting in vain to outshine the moon. She loved these tiny stars.

Then all of a sudden, her ear tickled and she heard his gentle whistling. Unwittingly, Ginny found herself relaxing as the soft tunes reached her ears, borne by the gentle breeze.

She looked for the source of the voice and saw him, hands in his pockets, walking by the lake. The moonlight cast highlights in his blonde hair, turning it silver, the breeze blowing his robes behind him like a banner and messing with his hair, but he did not seemed to mind that. He did not even bother to fix them. He looked like an angel—so beautiful that she couldn't take her eyes off him. She jumped in surprise, when suddenly Draco turned and looked directly towards her, as though he knew that she was there, watching him. The next moment he turned around, walked towards the door, and disappeared behind it.

Ginny calmed herself down. Two years before if someone had even predicted that Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger would become best of friends she would have personally walked them to St. Mungo's. However, here they were, closer than friends. Draco was almost a part of her family now. Life is so unpredictable; nobody knows what tricks life up her sleeves until they play by it. Sometimes, she wondered how all of this happened. How had he become so close to all of them…to her, though she never accepted it? What had changed and most importantly when?

_I have changed_, Ginny thought.

She remembered how she had cried when Ron had come to Hogwarts. And then, when she had started school herself, she had been shy and confused. She had been happy to be with Ron again … to be with her first crush, Harry. However, Ron had changed. He had made friends. He hadn't paid much attention to her, and neither had Harry. Ginny's heart had broken. And then, Tom had come in her life through the dairy, and when he had left, his poison coursed through her veins like blood. Her life had taken a dramatic turn at that stage and before she could understand every thing had changed.

She'd sat for days wondering what had made her so vulnerable, trying to fathom what had been going on in her mind, what was still going on in her mind. And then suddenly, just like that, her life had fallen into place. She had finally found the answers, not all of them, but definitely some. Like a revelation, she had known what she wanted from life. And strangely, it was not Harry. She didn't want to be his girlfriend, but only his friend like Ron and Hermione were.

She had healed from that accident, both mentally and physically. But her family continued to be very protective of her. There were barriers. "Ginny you can't go there alone; Ginny you can't do this, Ginny you can't do that," ad infinitum…which was natural, but it nevertheless annoyed Ginny. She had made her own set of rules and she broke them when she wanted.

She had stood up for her self, fixed a line and allowed no one to cross that line.

'I can do it' had become her motto. She had promised herself, 'I am not weak, no one can take advantage of me, and I am the owner of my body and my mind.' She had taken every challenging task in the school and in her life. She had longed to be free—free from the pressures of doing things because others wanted her to. She had wanted to be herself and be accepted for it. And slowly but surely, her family and friends had started treating her with respect. They had acknowledged her need to be independent and even though reluctantly, they began to let her try her wings.

She had been happy with her life, until…Draco had stepped in and broken every barrier she had fixed. He had stormed into her life like a hurricane, his presence hitting her with such force that she couldn't maintain her balance.

He had made her life hell. Consciously or unconsciously, he had hurt her in every possible way. There was no one to blame but herself…for she had got herself into a situation where she was clueless of what to do or how to react? She had wanted to run away and break loose. However, she had been afraid of hurting him…even though he was the one making her life impossible. It had hurt her more when she had learnt that she would always be his victim unless she set herself free.

That required courage.

She sighed deeply…rested her head back on the wall, and closed her eyes briefly. She didn't want this debate with herself. She knew she would lose that.

_I never meant to do those things to you. I never wanted to harm you. You still don't trust me, do you? _

She remembered her recent argument with Draco and his soft voice in her mind and shook the feelings crowding over her.

"No it's only one of his other schemes. I can't allow him to play with me any more. It has to be stopped, and I will make him," she told herself sternly.

But her traitorous mind played with the thought of loving him. _Did I love him? Do I love him? Can he be trusted?_

Then again, unbidden, another thought crowded her brain. _Did he love me? Does he love me? _ _ Can he ever love me the way I want…need to be loved? Was he a man wasted? Would I be wasted in loving him?_

Only time would tell.

A wave of cold breeze, swept through her hair and she shivered. Ginny closed her window and went to bed. Sleep was still far away from her eyes.

----------

Memories washed over her in a wave and she felt herself surrender to them.

Draco stepped out onto the lush green grounds, and walked leisurely towards the lake, while enjoying the peaceful surroundings. He gazed at the vast range of trees standing tall and lofty against the dark velvet sky that was covered with dazzling, diamond like stars. The round buttermilk coloured moon smiled above him. The wind played with his hair as well with the surface of the lake. The breeze gently whispered in his ear and he jerked his head in the direction of Gryffindor tower. Someone was there and he knew who that would be, but instead of staying there he turned to his room.

Draco stood and surveyed his new rooms. Being Head Boy certainly had its perks. He eyed the big bed in the middle of the room, his eyes glancing carelessly in the direction of the chest of drawers and the big chair next to the fireplace. He wondered what Hermione's room looked like. He shrugs off the temptation to knock on her door and discuss the décor of their rooms.

She's probably asleep.

All his stuff was already in the room. He opened the big window and took a deep breath, letting the air fill in his lungs and shivered. He sat down on the windowsill, leaning against the wall, stretching his legs. His mind was still wandering in Ginny's direction. He let out a deep sigh as memories of the past threatened to overcome him. Unfortunately, there was nothing to cherish. They had been the worst of enemies, but now they were nothing. He wondered what to call their relationship in its present form, but the thought that they didn't have one stung him. And whose fault was that? It was not very long ago, when somehow he had justified to himself that letting go of his love would enhance his self-esteem and ego. It would make him feel more of a man, less dependent on emotion.

His father's voice rang in his mind. Lucius Malfoy had been very clear on his thoughts on love and emotion.

"These are lame excuses of weak people. They will crowd your brain like a web and you won't be able to think straight. Always think with your mind, not with your heart."

But the image of Ginny's beautiful warm brown eyes stuck deep in his mind. Her exquisite face and bubbly personality brought a smile to his haggard face. The pinch of loss in his heart made him sad. He had hurt her so much.

_I didn't want to_.

But you did.

"Sod off," Draco said loudly, and went to change into his pyjamas. His life had changed, he had friends, good friends, he had done so much good but still he felt neither a hero nor a saviour. He came out of the bathroom and slipped inside the bed covers and just lay there putting his hands under his head. He sighed deeply and wished he and Ginny could be together, but at the moment he could only feel the weight of sadness in his heart. Guilt grew heavy on him, the guilt of loving her while pretending to not be in love with her. It was like an albatross that he could not get rid of. He felt engulfed with a heavy oppressive feeling, as if he had never recovered from some miserable ailment that had happened long ago.

_IN DRACO'S FIFTH YEAR_

_Hermione shivered violently as she watched Ginny pacing back and forth while mumbling something on the snow carpeted Quidditch field. It was a very cold day and it had just stopped snowing. Hermione made her way to where Ginny was pacing._

_"Mum is going to have a fit Hermione. How could Fred and George leave like that?" Ginny asked miserably, trying not to lose her control._

_"Don't worry. They will be fine, and anyway, it isn't as though they were terribly interested in staying on. You know what… you should owl them. It'll make you feel better. And don't worry; they already have worked up for their joke shop in Diagon Alley."_

_Ginny sighed and shivered when a cold breeze passed thorough her robes. "Yeah! I will owl them and Mum too. Let's go in. It's cold out here."_

_"Good idea," said Hermione hurriedly. It was almost dark. They turned to the rosemary bush, Ginny following Hermione. Hermione jumped in surprise and yelped when a snowball hit on her back._

_"Ginny… you…stop it! What are you, twelve? Stop it right away. Oh! You're going to pay for this," Hermione threatened, when another snowball hit her. Ginny ran when Hermione threw a snowball at her. Ginny made another snowball and threw it at Hermione. Prepared this time, Hermione ducked and the snowball hit the person who appeared right behind Hermione. Despite the growing blackness, Ginny and Hermione recognised the blonde form of Draco Malfoy._

_"Oh shit!" Someone shouted._

_"Oh…my…god!" Ginny breathed in surprise, and promptly started laughing at the look on Draco's face. His blonde head and most of his face were covered with snow, which was dripping onto his Quidditch robes._

_"I am…umm…. err, not sorry at all," Ginny said through barely controlled laughter. A sharp intake of breath told Ginny that Hermione was standing beside her._

_"We didn't see you there." Hermione couldn't think of anything else to say. She elbowed a still giggling Ginny and looked at Draco._

_He had daggers in his eyes. "How dare you?" he hissed venomously._

_"You mean how I did that? Oh! It's really simple. You make a ball with snow," she made a snowball and showed him, as though it was the most natural thing in the world. "And throw it at the other person like this."_

_Draco sputtered indignantly as the second snowball hit him on the face. "You little…. You're going to pay for this… You!" He had his wand out in a heartbeat, and pointed it at the girls. His mind was in a whirl. To be outdone by a Gryffindor, and that too a Weasley, twice in one night was too much to take._

_"Malfoy, we didn't see you there," Hermione said, her won wand gripped tightly in her hand, warily eyeing Draco._

_**And that's my cue**, Ginny thought and stepped forward, her eyes still brimming with laughter. She stood between Draco and Hermione, and lowered their wands._

_"No Hermione, it's not worth it. You said so yourself. Just let it go. We were just playing, Malfoy. We are not here to fight," Ginny calmly said, while her heartbeat rose to a thundering crescendo inside her chest. "It was an accident, ok?"_

_"NO! It was not an accident, you threw that ball on purpose the second time," he hissed through gritted teeth._

_"Well…Yeah! I did, so what?" Ginny spat back evenly, partly annoyed with herself for letting him affect her. "Don't tell me that you are so delicate that you can't bear a snowball." Ginny rolled her eyes; "It's just snow, for Merlin's sake. What's the big deal? Why don't you go tattletale to Umbridge, or maybe even cry at Daddy's knee, you little snot!" Ginny ignored Hermione's gasp as she stared back at Malfoy with blazing eyes. This was the first time she had come up against Malfoy alone. It gave her an exhilarating feeling to know she could stand up to him, as she watched his eyes turn hard as flint._

_"Playing with me can be very dangerous, Weasley. It will cost you. I always play to win and I always win." With that he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving behind a furious Ginny and an equally annoyed Hermione._

_As he walked back to the castle his mind was full of conflicting thoughts. He kept remembering the fire in Ginny's eyes, and her spirit, wondering why he had never noticed her before. The image of Harry and Ginny together came unbidden to his mind, and he resolutely ignored it, dismissing the feeling of envy that came with it. He turned his attention to the letter in his pocket, the reason why he had come out of the castle._

_Dear Draco,_

_We have a critical situation. The Dark lord is almost done with his work, and he appears to have succeeded this time. It is important that you pay the utmost attention to what I am about to say._

_I told you before the Dark Lord has a pendant, which, if crushed, can be the cause of your death. I will send that pendant to you. In order to protect yourself and your father it is imperative that you should give this to the girl you love to wear. I know your father has told you to stay clear from such emotional entanglements, but it is important Draco._

_If you do not have anyone whom you trust with your love and your life yet, then find a pureblood witch willing to wear the pendant. She must be a virgin and she must be willing. Should the girl be an unwilling participant in this, then the pendant will take its toll on her life. Only a strong willed witch can withstand the power of the pendant and you are the only one who can remove the pendant from the girl's neck, once she wears it._

_It is a matter of life and death Draco, your life and death. Pay someone to wear the pendant if you must. But protect yourself at all costs._

_Your father will feed you with other information later. Remember your father and I love you very much. Owl me if you need anything._

_Love,_

_Mother_

_The Great Hall was not very crowded in the early morning. Students started coming in a bit later. Draco was there, because he couldn't sleep night before. His mother had owled him again asking if he had found someone. It had been a week since he had read the letter, but he hadn't been able to find a girl he could trust with his love let alone his life. He had been dating the girls in Hogwarts for months now, but there was none he felt he could trust with such a responsibility. Like his father, Draco too believed that love and emotional entanglements were best avoided._

_As he surveyed the hall from his table, his mind again turned to the girls present in the hall. Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were out of the question. He didn't want to put his life in those hands, even though the girls were pretty. As far as the Slytherin girls went, he wasn't even sure if there were any virgins left. The Gryffindors would probably crush the pendant themselves the minute they found out about it. Besides which, the very idea of asking a Gryffindor for help was an extremely insulting thought. A movement near the Gryffindor table caught his eye. He turned and saw Ginny walk in and sit down at the table, her flaming red hair in a ponytail, her slight frame decked in Quidditch robes._

_**Looks good on her**, he thought to himself as he remembered the Quidditch match that was going to be played between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor that day. Ginny had been made the new seeker after Harry was banned from Quidditch. Draco watched with increasing interest as he saw her take out a battered and much read copy of Seeker's Guide and started to read it. Minutes passed before she looked up again from the page she had been reading. He saw her eyes widen for a fraction of a second before she regained her composure. Draco followed her line of vision and saw Michael Conor standing with Cho Chang. He had known that Michael and Ginny were dating each other, but he wondered when this new development had taken place. He watched Ginny with increasing admiration. **She's tough,** he admitted. **It can't be easy watching the guy you were dating making goo-goo eyes at Potter's girlfriend.**_

_Draco smiled when he saw Ginny roll her eyes at Michael's obvious embarrassment at being caught with Cho as though she didn't care what Michael did anymore. He looked for signs that she might be pretending, but couldn't find any. He identified the fighting spirit in Ginny that the girls he had gone out with lacked. Whenever he broke up with a girl, there was the inevitable flood of tears, remonstrance, pathetic attempts at getting back at him till the fact that nothing would work on Draco Malfoy sank in and the girl gave up and went away to recover from her wounds. Draco just put it down to their being unable to withstand the loss of a prize-catch. It never occurred to him that there might have been deeper feelings involved._

_His thoughts went back to the last Hogsmeade weekend when he'd gone out with a pretty Ravenclaw girl, hoping to seduce her into wearing the pendant. He'd been on the verge of asking her; assured completely of her acquiescence, when they'd been interrupted by another girl from Hufflepuff he had been trying to woo with unsavoury results. What had followed had not been pretty. There had been tears and tantrums. No amount of stern warnings had been able to calm the girl who claimed to have been grievously injured by his infidelity. In a matter of minutes Draco had found himself standing alone, still no closer to finding the girl whom he could trust with his life. Later he had found out that the Hufflepuff witch had been put on his trail by none other than Ginny. This fresh insult, coming so soon behind the snowball incident, had Draco plotting the worst kind of revenge on Ginny._

_His thoughts were broken by the shrill voice of Pansy. Draco wished he could blot out her voice from his world, but restrained himself as he realised he had found the perfect solution to **all **his problems._

_**Mother said I should do whatever it takes. But first I need some information on her**. Draco smiled to himself, satisfied with his planning. He sat back and drank his juice, watching the Gryffindor Team stand up and leave for the match._

_"What were you thinking Draco? Didn't you sleep? You look like a wreck," Pansy said, her eyes taking in the slight frown on Draco's face._

_The frowned deepened. "Mother's letter," came the curt response. He looked at Pansy as she sat down across the table from him, her vacant eyes full of mock understanding. Draco had toyed with the idea of asking Pansy to help him out, but knew for a fact that she was not a virgin. Her reputation in Hogwarts had been ripped to shreds long before she had actually caught up with the rumour mills._

_"What does she say?" Pansy, ever curious asked._

_"None of your business, Parkinson," Draco said curtly._

_"Whatever," smiling sweetly, Pansy turned to Crabbe and Goyle, trying to ignore the fury that had welled up at Draco's curt behaviour._

_"Any luck? Have you found any one yet?" Blaise asked as she sat down to eat, putting some bacon on her plate._

_He smiled at her, "Yes."_

_"Well then who is it? Is she trustworthy enough?" she asked him anxiously._

_"I don't know. I haven't asked her yet. I will let you know when I do."_

_"What does that mean?" she looked at him in alarm. "Draco who is this girl? Tell me you are not thinking of forcing someone?"_

_He just raised his eyebrow in amusement._

_"You can't … Draco it's dangerous for you and especially for the girl," she tried to reason with him, but the determination etched on his face told her it was no use._

_"Don't worry. I'll make sure she's fit to bear the responsibility. My life is more important than her after all," he answered while staring at Ginny who was talking to Harry. A surge of anger flashed through him like a hot liquid fire when he saw Ginny hug Harry before leaving the hall for the match._

__

Potter, I will kill two birds with one stone. I swear; I will ruin your little girlfriend and make your lives miserable.

_"Where are you going? The match is about to start," Blaise asked him as he stood up to leave._

_"You guys go ahead. I'll meet you soon," he said to Blaise, Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle. "Don't let them miss me." He turned to the owlery to send his mother an owl._

_Later, when he came out onto the Quidditch field, Luna Lovegood's lion hat was roaring wildly. Every one around Luna was one foot away from her and the Slytherin's were chanting,_

_"Weasley is our King._

_Weasley was born in a bin_

_Weasley cannot save a thing…"_

_Lee Jordan was in the commentary box. Since, the Gryffindor team had been changed, the match was interesting. To Draco's great surprise, Ron's performance was unexpectedly good and the team played very well. But Draco's gaze concentrated on the slight from flying high above the pitch. Ginny flew very well, he admitted to himself, albeit grudgingly._

_Umbridge, who was already very furious with Fred and George's performance and the swamp that filled the corridor on the fifth floor of the west wing, was not very happy with Gryffindor winning the Cup. She gave detention to some unsuspecting Gryffindors, bursting their happy bubble._

_------_

_Fifth year was almost over, final exams were near, and every one was busy. However, there was always time for teasing or arguing between the houses. Draco was looking for an excuse to cause trouble with the Gryffindors to further his plan._

_It was the last Sunday of April. The day was pleasant, and most of the students were sitting outside, trying to catch up with their studies. Hermione, Ron and Harry were studying outside. They were sitting at their favourite spot, by the lake. Ginny was leaning against a tree trunk, her legs stretched out in front of her, her attention absorbed by the **Quibbler,** which she had borrowed from Luna Lovegood. She smiled at Ron's frowning face when Hermione lectured Harry and him about how close they were to the final exams and they were not paying any attention. Harry's full attention was on Hagrid's hut. He pulled himself back to studies with an effort when Hermione slapped him on his knee angrily for not paying attention._

_"Well, well…well what we have here?" A familiar drawl made Ginny shiver, but she kept still even when Draco, Crabbe and Goyle ambled over to where she was sitting with the others._

_"Sod off Malfoy! What do you want?" Ron stood up, taking out his wand. Harry followed suit ignoring Hermione's frantic tugs at their robes._

_"Careful Weasel," Draco warned. "You don't want to make your nose bleed, now do you?"_

_"What you want Malfoy?" Hermione asked before Harry could punch the smirk off Draco's face._

_"Someone just told me that if I tell someone how I feel about them, I would feel much better. And guess what? I thought about you. I want you to know that I hate you from the bottom of my heart. Your very existence is an insult and we would be better off if the lot of you just fell off the face of the planet. There I said it and it's true...I feel much better." Crabbe and Goyle snickered at the flushed look that Ron and Harry wore._

_"Oh lucky us! Are you done now? THEN GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE," Ron yelled._

_"The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you."_

_A voice rang in all that commotion, behind Ron, Harry and Hermione who were blocking Ginny from Draco's view. Through the palpable silence, Hermione felt she could hear the breeze as it passed by her. As one, they all turned to look at the source of the voice. Ginny was still reading the paper with all her concentration as before._

_"What did you say?" Draco hissed at her. Ginny looked up at him, sighed and stood up. "You think I want to be like you weird, poor, filthy, disgusting, people?" Draco's face was flushed with disgust._

_"It's not my place to tell you for what reason you want to be like us. I was just reminding you what you just said," Ginny said, her heart somersaulting all the way to her stomach at the look on Draco's face._

_She thanked God when Harry pulled her to his side and broke the eye contact between the Slytherin and his sister. Ron stepped in front of a furious Draco, who was still glaring at Ginny. His glare turned into a cold malicious smile when he saw the protective way in which Harry was holding Ginny._

_"Get lost now," Ron barked to his face. Crabbe and Goyle stepped forward, cracking their knuckles. However, to everyone's surprise, Draco stopped them with a smirk._

_"Twenty points from Gryffindor and detention."_

_"What? You cannot give us detention without any reason," Hermione said sternly._

_"For the Weaselette for being rude to a member of the Inquisitorial Squad," he said, enjoying the discomfort on Ginny's face._

_"WHAT?" Ron and Harry shouted in outrage._

_"You are a foul person Malfoy," Hermione said harshly. Ginny stood by, quietly waiting for Malfoy to finish. She instinctively knew that there was more._

_"Oh and here comes the fun part. Since I am your favourite Slytherin", Ron snorted, "the Weaselette is doing detention with me. You will be patrolling the corridors with me tonight."_

_"NO WAY," Ron bellowed, out of control. Harry grabbed Ron's arm. All around, the other students had started gathering around them. Draco smiled, his face twisted in an evil grin as he turned to leave._

_"I will see you tonight, Weasley." His meaning was simply detention, but somehow the way he looked at her made Ginny's mouth feel dry._

_"I am going to kill him," Ron swore under his breath, as Harry and Hermione pulled him towards the lake._

_"Take a number and get in line," Harry muttered, looking worriedly at Ginny._

_"Will the two of you calm down?" Ginny looked at them in exasperation. "What makes you think that I can't handle that sleaze ball? Besides, think of this as practice for when I become a prefect next year."_

_Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at her, standing there and all of them knew that underneath her brave front, Ginny was as worried about serving detention with Malfoy as the others. Hermione had warned Ginny to stay clear of Malfoy ever since the Hogsmeade incident, and was now sure that this was contrived to get Ginny alone._

_"Be careful Ginny," Hermione said simply, as Ginny nodded._

_--------_

_After dinner, Ginny stood by the doors to the Great Hall with the others, waiting for Draco._

_"Let's go Weasley, it's time to have some fun," he was clearly mocking Ron and Harry who had daggers in their eyes._

_"If you touch her Malfoy…I will kill you," Harry stated as calmly as he could manage around Malfoy, ignoring Hermione's sharp intake of breath._

_**Harry, Harry! You have to keep calm. Threatening Malfoy won't do Ginny any favours,** Hermione thought, trying desperately to get through to Harry. She was right. Draco's eyes shone with amusement as though he had been expecting this._

_"Tut…tut…when will you learn, Potter?" Draco said, his smile not quite reaching his cold grey eyes. He pulled Ginny's arm roughly. "Let's go."_

_Ron and Harry stepped forward violently, "Don't you dare treat her like that, Malfoy." Ron's face was matching with his hair now._

_Ginny yanked her hand away from Draco's vice-like grip. "I'll be fine, guys. Relax," she said as she and Malfoy turned to leave. Draco turned around and waved at Ron and Harry, his lips twisted in smirk. Hermione pulled Ron back, as he took a step to follow Draco._

_"Let him go, Ron. You'll only give Malfoy more reasons to take it out on Ginny. It's safer for her like this. You've got to understand this, Ron. Harry, tell him," Hermione pleaded with Harry._

_"As much as I hate to admit it, mate, 'Mione's right._

_"Are you going to curse me soon, Weasley?" Draco asked, shoving his hands in his pockets as Ginny made sure that she had her wand with her._

_"If I have to, yes," she said without looking at Draco. "As long as you stay away from and don't try to touch me, we should get along fine."_

_"Don't tell me you won't like me touching you, because I know better."_

_"Excuse me?" Ginny stopped abruptly and asked him with a puzzled expression on her face. "What makes you think **I** will like you touching me?" Ginny stared at Draco, an unbelieving look in his eyes._

_"Well, every girl likes it when I touch her. And even though I'll have to wash my hands after I touch you, I am willing to make that sacrifice to bestow this honour on you," he turned and said with a cold curl of his mouth. "Besides, don't tell me you've never been touched before. What about Potter?"_

_"I am not every girl, Malfoy," Ginny said through barely controlled anger. "And my relationships are none of your business. As far as bestowing honour is concerned, I suggest you save it for those brainless beauties who want your filthy touch. All I'll ever feel for you is disgust and loathing, Malfoy." The soft light of the corridor made Ginny's face glow with a muted fire that made Draco angry. He could not fathom why he was angry, but he was._

_"Liar," he hissed through clenched teeth._

_A tangle of emotions swept over Ginny, frustration, bafflement, finally anger, and a fury so deep that she couldn't speak for a moment, fighting hard not to scream. "I am not a lair. I never thought about Harry that way. And who the hell are you to judge me? If you always cross exam, the people like this; it's your problem. Just because I am compelled to serve detention with you, doesn't mean I have to listen to your ravings." She started to walk away, but Draco grabbed her wrist._

_"Don't you ever walk away from me when I am talking," he said coldly._

_"Let go of me Malfoy," Ginny said quietly. "I don't want you touching me, and I am sure you wouldn't want to touch me either."_

_"How do you know? Maybe I am having the time of my life?" he said mockingly, satisfied in the knowledge that she was feeling most uncomfortable of his touch. She narrowed her eyes at him glint of anger was visible there. He saw her eyes widen when he started caressing her wrist with his thumb. He was aware on some unconscious level that this was wrong – he was touching a Weasley and he was enjoying himself far more than he should be._

_His finger felt something on her wrist and he turned over to see it. He could see faint scars running across the inside of her wrist. Ginny tried to free her hand, but Draco held her tightly. He even pulled up her other wrist and turned it over. It too had the same marks. An unwarranted feeling of anger and jealousy surged through him, as he felt her resign to his scrutiny._

_"What is this Weasley? A lame attempt at suicide to impress Potter?" he asked bitingly, wanting to hurt her yet looking for the denial in her eyes. He felt like he had been punched in the gut when Ginny raised her eyes to meet his. There was nothing in them but a colour that was too dark to be called brown._

_"What you want Malfoy?" her voice was calm and empty. Draco stared at her for a moment before he released her._

_"You," he said simply and watched her. The change in her surprised him. She visibly tensed, but when she stepped towards him her mouth lifted in a small smile._

_"You are wrong again, Malfoy. You don't know me, so stop testing me. I won't fall for your words Malfoy, no matter how sugar-coated they are." She titled her head so that she could see the face of Draco's expensive watch. "It's late. Now do you want to patrol or not?"_

_"My father once told me that everyone has a price. What's your price, Ginny?" he said with a blank face._

_Seemingly unaware of his use of her given name, Ginny sighed, "I suppose he never told you that there are some things, which even you, cannot buy." She raised an eyebrow at him when he smiled._

_"Everything has a price, Ginny, everything," Draco said. This time, he noticed her shiver at the sound of her name as his eyes travelled the length of her body before coming back to rest on her lips and finally her eyes. Satisfied that he had her complete attention, he continued, "You aren't priceless, Weasley. I suppose I could buy you with the change I have in my pocket right now…if I wanted you. And once I have you, there'll be no turning back." He slowly closed the distance between them, till Ginny could feel his breath on her face. She looked up into his eyes – they weren't cold anymore. They were smouldering, the grey having given way to the darkness of a storm. " I could be very persuasive for what I want… I'll own you, Ginny, forever. And I am bit stubborn and possessive about my belongings."_

_---------- _

_It was late night, when Ginny entered the Gryffindor common room. Most of her housemates were already asleep. Ron, Hermione and Harry were sitting by the fire, waiting for her. They made room for her on the couch as she walked towards them._

_"What happened? Did he hurt you? Did he do something foul?" Ron asked taking out his wand again._

_"Let her talk Ron, would you? What happened Ginny?" Ginny looked at their serious faces and sighed._

_"It's nothing, he didn't harm me, or do anything nasty. He didn't touch me," she lied._

_"Then what did you do?" Harry asked curiously._

_"We patrolled the corridors. He started out with acting like a prize-git, and after some time he just ignored me as though I was not even there, which was ok with me. When we were done with patrolling, he told me I could go. When I turned to leave he stopped me, pulled a silver coin from his pocket, and threw it at me. He said I had earned it. I threw the coin back at him and left. That's all that happened." Ginny decided to drop the details of her conversation with Draco. She still hadn't made up her mind about him and did not see the point in worrying the others unnecessarily._

_Most of the Slytherins had gone to bed when Draco entered the common room. The few remaining went to their dormitories when they saw him._

_He sat in his favourite place, spreading his legs out on the table and closed his eyes, leaning back in the chair. He thought about the letter he had just owled to his mother._

_Dear Mother,_

_To tell you the truth, I hate the idea of depending on a girl to take care for my life. However, since it is important to you and Father, I have found a girl. She is a pureblood witch and she is a virgin. Thanks for sending the unicorn coin. It told me what I needed to know. Send me the potion._

_Love,_

_Draco_

_A smile crept on his face as the image of Ginny's glowing face flashed in his mind. It had been easy to find out whether she was a virgin or not. For some strange reason he had not doubted her when she had said that she and Potter did not have that kind of a relationship. But he had still felt the need to know the truth. He had used the unicorn coin his mother had sent him to find out the truth. He had felt a strange sense of satisfaction to know that Ginny Weasley was a virgin. The information had stirred up a primitive part of him, which he had not known existed. There was something about Ginny that…_

_"What brings that smile on your face?" He opened his eyes and smiled at Blaise, who had just came out of her dormitory. "So, how was the detention, and why are you smiling? I am sure you must have done something to piss off Weasley," she asked putting her legs on the other side of the table. She was in her pyjamas, her black hair tide in a ponytail on the top of her head._

_"I have found a girl. Check it out," Draco said as he threw the coin to Blaise. She caught it and stared at it before throwing it back at him. She glared at him, but he spoke before she could tell him exactly what she thought about his underhanded tactics. "It's charmed. I charmed it for the specific person," he told her._

_"I know it's charmed you moron. Did you really use it on someone? It's terribly embarrassing," she said angrily._

_"Well I wasn't embarrassed to write that letter to mother. Of course I used it. I had to do something. And don't you give me that look."_

_" I know, it's…just…it's embarrassing. Who is the poor girl anyway? You haven't told me and I am curious now," Blaise sighed._

_"You're a Slytherin. Act like one, ok? You will find out soon. She… is… a simmering pot."_

_Blaise raised her eyebrow and nodded when he chuckled. He stood up and gave his hand to her. He walked her to the stairs leading to the girl's dormitory. She held his hand softly, "Be careful Draco, I don't you to get hurt or lose my best friend."_

_"Don't worry I'll be fine," he answered softly while pushing her hair out of her eyes gently. He watched her go up to her dormitory. When she was out of sight, he turned to his room_ _and began thinking about the next part of the plan._

Author's Note:

"The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you."

I liked this Quotation very much by William Safire and Leonard Safir's book Good Advice.

Next Chapter: Draco works with his second part of plan. Still flash back.

Thanks to read. Don't forget to review


	6. Chapter 05

**Hello every one. I hope you like the story; I am having fun writing it.**

**In this Chapter, still flash back is going on and it will be end in next chapter. This chapter is also a part of last chapter. Draco was remembering that how he trapped Ginny in his scheme.**

**Until next chapter enjoy this one. I hope you like it. I really like to thank,**

**Sandra: **Thanks to read and review.

**Renee: **Thanks to read and review for my story. No, Draco has nothing to do with Ginny's ability, if you mean that by using vela blood for Draco.I really like your idea though. Maybe on some point I'll think about t. Thanks.

**Queen Thayet: **Thanks for reading and reviewing. Yes, Blaise is male and I changed that according to my story him in female. All my apologies to JKR.

**Meeza:**Thanks for your wonderful review. That really made my day. I know I also don't like the forbidden relationship between Draco and Ginny. So, I decided to change that in how would that sound if Ginny would not want to be in that relationship with Draco, when her family is wanted her to be with him.

**CherryTreeDepartment: **Thanks for reading and reviewing. Yes, Blaise is male and I used Blaise as a female.

**I hope to see you gyus in next chapter and hope you like the chapter.**

**Enjoy the chapter**

**_Chapter Five_**

_It was getting dark. Ginny, Colin and Christina were sitting in the grounds and studying for the coming exams, like most of the other students. _

"_I am going dizzy with this history chapter. I have to stop now. Besides, I'm starving," Christina smothered a yawn, stretched lazily, and protested. _

"_Yeah we can hear it too," Colin chuckled when Christina's tummy growled loudly. Ginny smiled at Christina. Colin and Christina started gathering their books, "Aren't you coming, Ginny?" _

"_You go ahead. I'll catch up with you in the hall. I want to finish this essay and then I have promised Hagrid to make a potion for his wounds."_

_Colin wanted to protest, but Christina dragged him away, "Bye Gin, don't take too much time. I am starving."_

"_Yeah, don't worry. I'll catch up with you later, but don't wait me." She waved her hand distractedly._

_About ten minutes latter she closed her bag and turned to leave, when someone called her name. She turned and watched Ernie Macmillan, a Hufflepuff prefect, walk towards her. Ginny wondered what he wanted._

"_Hi, Ginny." _

"_Hi Ernie, what's up?" Ginny asked casually._

"_Umm…the thing is I need a favour. Some of the students wanted to study in-groups, but because of the new decree, we cannot do it without permission and I'm afraid if we ask permission only for our house students she might not let us. Therefore, we decided to invite other houses students and from different years. We're hoping that with so many students, Umbridge will give us permission." _

"_That's a good idea, but if the group is big, she won't permit you for that too. I think if you do it only for fifth year students, it will work much better. Besides, since it's your O.W.L.s it's more important for you than us." Ginny started walking slowly, but he stopped her._

"_Come on Ginny, help me out here."_

_Ginny sighed, "Ok, what do I have to do in that?"_

_He cheered up, brought a rolled parchment from his robe pocket, and patted his pocket for quill. _

"_Oh, I forgot to bring the quill. You have to sing here." _

_Ginny pulled out her quill and ink, but stopped when she saw the blank parchment in front of her._

"_There aren't any names on it, no one agreed with you?" she asked puzzled. It's not a good idea to sign on a blank parchment, she thought vaguely._

"_Didn't you ask Hermione, Harry and Ron?"_

"_Oh, yes… I will…of course. It's just that I saw you first. I was looking for the students and I saw you, so you are the first." _

_Ginny couldn't help but wonder at what she was getting herself into._

"_Hey, I am a prefect. Don't you trust me?" _

"_I don't trust anyone," Ginny said._

"_I am a prefect, if anything goes wrong, you know where to find me. Besides, your brother is a prefect too."_

"_Ok, then." She was about to sign, when he stopped her again._

"_Maybe, it's not such a good idea for you to sign at the top of the list, you know…your brothers…" he trailed off. _

"_Yeah, you're right. Tell me where to sign."_

"_Umm… right here, not in the beginning and not in the end, just here. When the other students sign up and down, your name will not be on top," he told her and waited her for sign._

"_Thank you Ginny, now that I am done with you, I'll go and find others. I'll tell how it goes. Just one more thing, don't tell anyone about it yet, you know. It would make it suspicious."_

_Ginny nodded and watched him go. She couldn't help feeling his excitement a little eerie, but shrugged it off and turned towards Hagrid's hut._

_When Ginny left Hagrid's hut, it was almost dinnertime. She quickly entered the castle before anyone noticed her outside. She turned to the library, deciding to spend her time there until dinner._

"_Where were you Ginny? I didn't see you after lunch," Ron asked while stuffing his plate. Ginny told them about her day and joined them at the dinner table beside Colin and Christina._

_Harry hid his smile when Hermione frowned and glared at Ron. _

"_Ron you can fill your plate later. It's not like all the food is going to finish." _

_Ginny caught Harry's eyes and hid her smile when she saw the food on Hermione's plate, which was about one-tenth of what Ron had on his._

"_Now I've lost my appetite," Hermione pushed her plate aside, but Harry grabbed her wrist. Ron had the decency to look ashamed. _

"_Oh, come on Hermione, just eat something. You need your energy for the exams," Harry argued with her._

"_Ok," she sighed. Ginny smiled when Ron put some roast back in the dish and Harry put some more food on Hermione's plate, who was protesting that she wouldn't be able to finish it and the house-elfs had gone to so much trouble to make it. She couldn't help thinking how cute Harry and Hermione looked when they argued. But her smiled was wiped off when she caught a glimpse of grey eyes watching her from the Slytherin table._

_After the night of detention, despite herself, Ginny was afraid of Draco Malfoy. Whenever they crossed each other or during meal times, the way he looked at her made her nervous. Now, again, she had the same uncomfortable feeling. She played with her food for a while and stood up for leaving._

"_Ginny you didn't eat anything," Hermione said. _

"_I don't feel like it, but this will work," she grabbed an apple. "I am going to send an owl to mum and dad, and one to the troublesome twins. I wish I could write to Snuffles," she said, looking at Harry wistfully._

"_It's okay Ginny. You know Snuffles told us not to," Harry sat patting her hand. Ginny nodded and hurried out of the hall feeling a pair of grey eyes boring holes in her back._

_It had become his routine to make her nervous. She was tough, but what was the use of the name of Malfoy, if he couldn't make a girl nervous. Today he had gotten the Pendant and was anticipating the excitement of putting it around her slender white throat and binding her to him. He had planned it all. He watched her from his table, smiled when she caught his eyes and hurriedly looked away unable to meet his gaze. But he could feel her uneasiness even across the distance of the hall with all the other students separating them. _

_He watched her turn to the owlery as he made his way to his dormitory. _

_Ginny checked the time and stretched leisurely. After sending letters to her brothers and parents, she had come to take a long bath; she was feeling much better. Her long wet hair cascaded down her back. She gathered her stuff and put on Harry's invisibility cloak. It was already passed curfew time and it wouldn't do to bump into Draco Malfoy in the corridors. _

_She stepped out of the girl's bathroom. The long dark corridor was deserted. She stood still to make sure that Filch or Mrs Norris weren't around. She started walking towards her dormitory when her hairbrush slipped and landed on the floor of the empty corridor with a loud thud and rolled out of the cloak. She cursed silently and hurriedly looked around before she bent and picked up the brush with a sigh of relief. But not for long._

_Her face went pale and her heart jumped and stayed in her throat, her eyes winded with horror as they settled on a pair of shiny black leather boots in front of her. _

_Draco was waiting for Ginny near the Girls bathroom. Everything was perfect. The corridor was deserted. It was curfew time and he knew there was no one around except for the two of them. Finally the bathroom door opened but no one came out of the bathroom. Draco smiled; he knew she was under Harry's invisibility cloak. In their third year, he had learned the fact that Harry owned an invisibility cloak. He followed the sound of the tiny bells of her anklet hoping to catch her off guard. But today was his lucky day. As he watched the empty space, her hairbrush dropped and rolled out of the cloak. He saw an arm sneak out of thin air and reach down to retrieve the hairbrush. _

_Ginny watched in horror as Draco raised his wand._

"_Petrificus Totalus!" he said, pointing it at her. Ginny's arms snapped to her sides and her whole body went rigid and fell flat on the floor. Her jaws were jammed together so she couldn't speak. Only her eyes were moving, widening in fear as Draco contemplated her with a smug look on his face. He levitated her and took her to the nearest classroom with all her stuff. Ginny watched helplessly, while he closed the door, put a silencing charm around the class and removed her wand from her pocket. The only light was coming from the window, which was enough for her to see his expressionless face. _

_She wanted to scream and yell and fight, but couldn't move a muscle when he knelt down beside her and pulled a box from his robes. A beautiful pendant lay in the soft velvet lining of the box. He watched it for a while and then looked at Ginny, who was not able to do any thing._

"_Remember Weasley, I told you that when I want something… I get it…always. I want you. I have you and you will be mine," he said and put the pendant around her neck. The pendant shone with all its strength, lighting up the dark room, bathing Ginny's face with a translucent light. Draco put a hand across his unable to look at Ginny. When the light was gone from the pendant, it became in its normal form. Ginny had her eyes shut tightly and when she opened them slowly, he knew she was scared. It was in her eyes._

"_Before I remove the spell I have to tell you some important things, which you should know. You can ask whatever you want to know after I have finished." He stepped away from her, raised his wand and removed the spell._

_Ginny sat up quickly and kneeled forward, put her hands on the floor, breathing heavily. The pendant dangled in front of her._

_Draco watched her with a frown. He knew it would hurt in the beginning. He had spent a whole day in the library researching the effects of the pendent and its powers. But how much it would hurt totally depended on the girl's strength._

_Draco was now worried about his decision. Ginny seemed very shaken right now. So vulnerable, so fragile, so ordinary, so… Weasley. "Are you ok now, because I don't have the whole night for you?" he said irritably._

"_What do you care if I am ok or not?" she snapped at him in her usual tone warily regarding the wand he was pointing at her._

_Draco smiled as he saw the colour slowly return to her cheeks. **She is fine and I was right about her, she will do well and I will have all my fun with her**, he smiled lightly without realising he was watching her._

"_Now, don't be a drama queen and get up and listen to me carefully. Don't interrupt me because I will say everything only once._

_Despising herself for her display of weakness and fear, Ginny muttered something under her breath and finding no reason to protest she sat on the chair as far as she can. She needed to know about this horrible situation. Besides which Draco still had her wand. Her mind a whirlpool of anger, fear and annoyance, she watched as Draco pulled a roll of parchment from is robe. _

"_Here is the contract you signed about Weasley and Potter and taking care of the pendant. You can come and take a look and I can prove to you that it's not a trick. It's your original with your own quill." He waved the parchment in front of a stunned Ginny, while sitting in the chair and putting his long legs crossed on the other chair in front of him._

"_Contract…what contract? You've got to be kidding me. I never entered any agreement with you," Ginny said in disbelief._

"_Oh no! Then how come there is your signature on this parchment?" Draco drawled lazily. "You can look for yourself."_

_Ginny walked to his chair with trembling legs and dry mouth and watched in horror when Draco cast a spell on the parchment and it glowed in silver light and when light died, it left her name in the air 'Ginny Weasley' and vanished within seconds._

"_No… It can't be… It's not possible." _

_**I, Ginny Weasley, hereby enter a binding contract with Draco Malfoy, to protect his life with any measures required. In the event of any harm coming upon Draco, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley are to be held responsible. I also promise to be the bearer of this pendent, which once worn by me can only be removed by Draco Malfoy, and to treasure it above all else, even my life.**_

_**Ginny Weasley** _

_She backed off while shaking her head unbelievably and fell on her chair with a thud, the blood draining from her face as the enormity of what was written slowly sank in. The feeling of being captured again by a Malfoy made her blood turn to ice. She was eleven years old again, trapped in a dairy given by his father, cornered by a Slytherin. _

"_Why?" Ginny finally breathed, slowly harnessing her emotions. "You evil bastard," she hissed. "What have I ever done to you? Is this another of your dark plans to trap Harry and Ron? Why can't you leave us alone?" she finished savagely._

_Draco made a bored face as he contemplated his neatly filed nails before he looked at the distraught girl in front of him. It gave him a sense of power to see the helpless rage in her eyes as they searched his own, looking for answers. _

"_You see, Weasley, my life is far more important than Potter's or your brother's. I told you I play by my own rules. And you've just read them. If there is so much as a hair out of place on my head then that is it for Potty and the Weasel. It's in the contract." _

"_BUT I NEVER SIGNED ANY CONTRACT WITH YOU…HOW COULD I EVER DO SUCH A THING?" she screamed miserably, covering her face with her hands._

_Draco's lips twisted in a smirk. "Don't be so dramatic about it. Well, let me jog your memory, since you're having such difficulty remembering. Do you remember this evening, when Ernie Macmillan, the Hufflepuff prefect came to you with a list of the students for a study group?"_

_Ginny nodded in a daze. Was Ernie a part of it all or he was also the victim?_

"_Well, polyjuice potion is magnificent, don't you think?" Draco asked, his grey eyes gleaming with malice._

_Suddenly all the pieces fell in place. He had polyjuiced himself as Ernie, and made her sign the blank parchment. He made her use her own quill so that the agreement would be legal._

_Ginny's head was spinning, but she gathered herself and watched him put the parchment back in his pocket._

"_What makes you think I will fall for this dirty trap? I swear I'll kill myself before I hurt Harry and Ron," Ginny said in determined voice._

"_I knew you would say that," Draco smiled cruelly. "But, you see Weasley, you cannot hurt yourself either, because the result will be the same. Since you're the keeper, I'll die too and I know you wouldn't want anything to happen to Potty and the Weasel. Under other circumstances, I'd probably push you off the tower top myself, but for now this will do just as well. It will be quite an experience to watch you day after day with the lives of three people in the palm of your hands…or rather hanging around your neck." Draco twirled her wand as he watched her. "And by the way, if you do not accept the responsibility of the pendant and the agreement from your heart, it will take its toll on your body till you become too weak to sustain yourself and cause the death of…" he trailed off. _

"_Why?" Ginny asked, her eyes expressionless. "Why me…?"_

"_Why you?" Draco's eyes sparked again. "I presume this is your first question. I need a pure blood, virgin girl to wear this." He just ignored Ginny's reaction to his statement, pointed at pendant, and kept talking. "I could pay some girl for this job but I thought it would be fun to use you. Lately, you have become a pain in my life, ruining my days and someone need to control you and besides, it has become my hobby to destroy every thing dear to Potter and you fit in so well in the entire plan. I'm going to take immense pleasure in tugging at the strings that you've put in my hands. Just imagine…I get to play with the Golden Trio for as long as I want. Then there is you – wild and fiery, just waiting to be tamed," Draco's voice became husky, his eyes the colour of a storm darkened sky as he started walking towards Ginny._

"_Bu…but I am not a virgin," Ginny stammered as she backed away from him._

_She was, briefly, taken aback. When he laughed surely she didn't see anything funny in their current situation, but obviously Draco did, "You got to be kidding me," he said, and there was something in his tone that made her face red, although his mouth still smiled. "Isn't that cute. In a stupid sort of way. "You think I wouldn't have made sure before doing this?" he asked, withdrawing a small silver coin from his robes. Ginny watched mesmerised as the light bounced off the coin. She felt sure that she had seen it before. Draco suddenly tossed the coin to her and as she reflexively caught it, she remembered the night she had done detention with him. Even before she opened her palm to see what it held, she instinctively knew what the coin did. Colour rushed to her cheeks as she recalled reading about coins made of dried unicorn blood, which could detect a person's virginity. Furious and embarrassed she threw the coin back to Draco._

"_Why are you doing this?" Ginny asked, her eyes flashing with rage._

"_I have my reasons. Besides which it's none of my business," Draco replied._

"_Damn it! This is my life. You have no right to manipulate it. I'll do exactly how I please. I don't have to listen to you, or do what you say," she yelled._

"_Ah! The little ironies of life. You'll do exactly what I say Ginny because it isn't just your life. You don't have much of a choice in the matter." Draco looked at her as she stood in front of him, her back against the wall, her fiery hair a stark contrast to her pale face and white nightdress. He could feel the rage emanating from her, the fear. And he could feel something else._

"_You bastard," Ginny cursed as she swung her arm, her palm stinging across his cheek._

_Ginny felt the breath rush out of her as Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. She bit her bottom lip as she pushed against his chest. The scream on her lips died as Draco's mouth descended on hers. It was not a tender kiss. Draco chewed at her lower lip demanding her surrender, as Ginny fought back, struggling for release. With an impatient sound, Draco imprisoned both her wrist in his hand behind her. His free hand crept into her hair keeping her head steady in place as his tongue pushed its way into her mouth. Ginny continued to squirm as Draco plundered the softness of her mouth, his tongue gliding over hers, his teeth biting her lips. Unable to resist, Ginny felt herself beginning to respond to the kiss when Draco abruptly released her. _

_Ginny's hand touched her swollen lips, her numb brain registering the metallic taste of blood in her mouth. _

"_How dare you?" Ginny hissed as Draco merely smirked._

"_Don't tell me that you didn't enjoy that. You were there for the taking, Weasley."_

_Incapable of speech, Ginny just stared at him, horrified at the intensity of her own reaction to the kiss._

"_Maybe I should try again," Draco said, raising a hand to touch her. _

"_No! Don't come near me, don't touch me," Ginny shrieked._

_Draco leaned over her, his eyes dark and his lips drawn into a thin straight line. "Listen to me Weasley. You will do exactly what I tell you. You have far more to lose than I will ever have. And I don't take 'no' for an answer." He turned around and walked back to the door. "Goodnight…Weasley," he said before he tossed her wand back to her and left the room._

_Ginny wanted to ask so many questions, but she couldn't trust her voice and kept quiet. She slowly slid down to the floor until she was sitting with her arms locked around her knees. How long she sat there, Ginny did not know, and yet she knew it wasn't long enough for the throbbing in her head to subside. It would never be long enough. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. When she opened them, her gaze fell on the tiny cuts on her wrist where Draco had held her and her charm bracelet had cut through the delicate flesh. She fingered the cold, heavy, pendant around her neck, watching it with pure disgust. The thought of wearing Draco Malfoy's life next to her heart in exchange for the lives of the two people she held closest to her heart made her sick. _

_Disgusted and ashamed of her own weakness, Ginny got up and slowly made her way out of the room. She stood under the hot spray for long minutes, washing herself and rinsing and washing again, until her body ached. But she still didn't feel clean. She wondered if she ever would. The wounds on her wrist throbbed painfully, but she felt nothing, allowed nothing to reach her. She knew that numbness was only temporary. Tomorrow, she told herself; tomorrow she would figure out what to do about the situation. There had to be a way. But for tonight she was the eleven-year old girl who had been tricked by the darkest wizard of all time and did not know what to do._

_Back in her room, she stood in front of the mirror and only then did she realise that she was crying silently, crying since she had left the bathroom. She lay on her bed, under warm, soft covers. She might have been lying on a bed of thorns. A cold shiver ran through her as she fearfully shut her eyes. The conversation remained in her mind long after it had ended, a frightened teardrop rolled down her cheek and landed on her pillow. She admonished herself for her weakness, but the tears came anyway, a silent, transparent tidal wave of emotion that she could not control. Suddenly, she realised that she hadn't cried since she was twelve. _

_Sirius' voice rang in her mind, when Ginny had asked him once how he had managed to live in Azkaban for so long._

"_I learned to live one minute at a time. You don't live all your minutes at once. Just the one you are in. You can make it through one minute. You don't have to be strong for that. Just one minute."_

"_I can do it," she reminded herself. "It's just one minute at a time. I had promised myself that it's my life and I will live it, the way I like." Tears rolled down her soft cheeks, wetting her pillow as she remembered the promise again, and tried to sleep thinking about Harry and Ron._

_When Ginny woke up in the morning, light hurt her eyes when she tried to open them. Someone was calling her name._

"_Christina, would you shut up, my head is hurting." _

_Christina pulled the curtains and stared at her, "Are you ok? You sound terrible," she said concerned and put her hand on Ginny's cheek. "Oh, Gin you have fever. Thank God, it's Saturday. You stay in bed. I'll bring some breakfast for you and tell Hermione." _

_Ginny turned her blood shot eyes to her friend and smiled, "Thanks Chris." _

_By the time Hermione came to see her, Ginny was feeling only marginally better. The previous night's events seemed just like a horrible nightmare to her but for the burden around her neck. _

"_Hey, Ginny how are you feeling?" Hermione asked as she entered the room. Ginny quickly hid the pendent before the other girl noticed. "You eat some breakfast and we will go to see Madam Pomfrey," she said waiving aside Ginny's protests. "No, you have to go. With the exams coming around the corner you can't take chances. Besides, Harry and Ron wanted to see you."_

_Ginny sat up straight, her eyes wide. "Why…why do they want to see me?" _

_Hermione put a comforting hand over her shoulder and tried to calm her down, "Christina told us about you. You know they cannot come up here. They were worried about you." _

_Ginny let go the long breath, which she didn't notice that she was holding and lay down tiredly. "Oh, yes, of course." _

"_Are you ok Ginny?" But before Ginny could reply she heard Hermione gasp. Hermione seized Ginny's hand and pulled the sleeve up. Alarmed, Ginny pulled her hand back. Hermione looked at her face worriedly, "Ginny, what happened? How did you get those cuts? Did some one hurt you?" _

"_No, of course not. No one hurt me, it's just…." she paused, wondering how much she ought to tell Hermione._

_Seeing the younger girl hesitate, Hermione frowned, "Ginny, do you want to tell me something?"_

_Ginny shook her head, "No, it's nothing. I am fine…really"_

_Hermione reluctantly nodded, "If you want to talk, you know I'm here, right?" _

_In the hospital wing, the first thing Ginny noticed was the Hufflepuff prefect, Ernie Macmillan lying on a bed, his head covered in white bandages. Hermione followed her gaze and told her that some one had attacked him from behind in the evening in the bathroom. He had been found later on in the broom closet. Ginny nodded and stepped forward with a blank expression, took her potion and went to bed._

_The next day, Ginny hesitantly made her way into the Great Hall for breakfast. Even though she was still feeling ill, she knew it had nothing to do with physical pain. She sat with Harry, Ron and Hermione, letting the familiar sounds and sights of the room soothe her distraught nerves. But despite her best efforts, she felt like a misfit. She could feel the burden of the pendant; feel the life throbbing in it and the alienation it brought to her from all that was familiar. Feeling out of her depth and place, Ginny excused herself and went to the library. _

_Madam Pince watched in surprise as the youngest Weasley walked into the gloomy library on a bright and beautiful day when most of the students were outside. Ginny headed straight for the charms shelf, but found no books on charmed pendants. Braving the stern looks the librarian gave her, she asked who had taken the books. She showed no surprise when Madam Pince told her that the books had been checked out by Draco Malfoy _

"_But there is one book in the Restricted Section," Madam Pince said, her eyebrows knitted in suspicion._

_When Ginny came back to the library, she had the permission pass signed by Professor Snape. _

_Draco didn't see Ginny the next day. Unconsciously, he watched the door during the meals. He watched her brother, Granger and Potter all day, but she was not with them. He told himself that he just wanted to see how she looked when she felt miserable. _

_On Sunday, he decided to go to the library, half-hoping to find Ginny there. He knew she would try to find out more about the pendant, but he was disappointed. The library was deserted. He was pondering on what to do next when he heard the faint tinkle of ankle bells. He looked for her in the nearby rows, but she was nowhere. She moved again and this time he saw her in the restricted section. He cursed himself when he saw the title of the book that she was reading._

"_**Dark Magic, Charmed Pendants, Keeper of the Life and Soul." **_

_He hadn't known that there was such a book in the restricted section. He mentally kicked himself for his carelessness. The pale and frightened look on her face told him that she had found something. He walked like a cat without making any noise and stood just behind her._

"_Anxious to get rid of me so soon, I am hurt, Weasley."_

_So absorbed was Ginny in her book that she did not notice Draco's presence and jumped at the sudden sound of his voice. _

"_Jumpy aren't we." He noticed that the glasses looked good on her._

_Ginny turned around and glared at him. "Would you stop sneaking on me?" _

"_What are you doing in here Weasley? Give me that book."_

"_You didn't tell me everything about the pendant." _

_He just shrugged his shoulder carelessly. "I didn't think it was important. You will not go looking for stuff like this again, understand?" he asked coldly._

_Ginny ignored him and started to step aside with the book firmly pressed under her arm. However, to her consternation, she found that Draco was holding her arm in a vice-like grip. _

"_I told you I don't like to hear 'no' for an answer," he said as he lunged for the book. Ginny squirmed and tried to get away, but to no avail. Draco pinned her against the shelf and pried the book out of her hand. Ginny rewarded him with a vicious scratch on his hand._

"_I think last night's lesson wasn't enough for you," Draco said as the long red mark started to throb. He opened the book where Ginny had been reading and smiled maliciously. Ginny felt herself starting to blush, but managed to control herself. The words on the page were emblazoned on her mind. _

_**The keeper of the pendant cannot have intimate relations with any person other than the owner of the pendant. Any such contact will result in the death of the person who has no link to the pendant. The pendant can…**_

"_Oh well1 I guess I'll have to come up with a new plan to kill Potter. But this would have worked splendidly. Don't you think?"_

"_You bastard! You think Harry and I…. I told you we don't have that kind of relationship." Ginny said furiously. "I despise you, Malfoy and any thing which is related to you and your family." _

"_The feeling is mutual, Weasley. I despise you and your filthy poor, Mudblood loving family and sick Potter and Granger. There's just one difference. There is nothing I won't do to hurt Potter, and if it means being with you, Weasley, then I am willing to do even that. I told you, when I play, I play by my own rules."_

"_You are despicable, Malfoy." _

"_Everything is fair in love and war," Draco replied. Both of them stared at each other, their eyes flaring with hatred._

"_Let go off me." When she spoke, her voice was calm, empty, and final._

_The change in Ginny surprised him and made him deeply uneasy. He had expected hysterics, cursing, screaming and pleading._

_He had expected anything but the eerie, porcelain calm of Ginny's face and the bleakness of her eyes._

"_So, what did you tell your brother and boyfriend about you bruised lips? Did Potter ask who kissed his girl friend?" Draco released her and asked her cruelly with evil grin on his face._

_Ginny looked at Draco for a long moment. Silently she fought the emotions that were tearing her apart._

_She wanted to do._

_Fly. Flee. Vanish._

_But those were emotions. The reality was more difficult. Humiliation and fury made her want to lash back at him, to deny him an answer. But she didn't give in to the temptation. She had the rest of her life to live._

"_Everyone makes at least one bad mistake while growing up," Ginny said quietly. "You were mine."_

_Draco's eyes became almost black._

_She turned and walked quickly out the door. The sound of tiny bells and her words floated back after her._

_It hurt him more than he had expected. Her behaviour in the library had made Draco angry and unsatisfied, but her parting line had shaken him to his core._

_For the next few days, Ginny ignored him. It was as though the last few days had never taken place. However, for him Ginny Weasley was everywhere. Smiling, talking to everyone, pretending that nothing had happened, nothing was wrong. _

_Her indifference made Draco restless. Emotion tore through him. No one had ever ignored him before. He could deal with hating and arguments with other students. He was used to cornering other students and ignoring the girls after dating them, listening to their pleadings and crying seemed kind of satisfying for him. He wanted to get back at her. He wanted to make her pay for treating him like that. _

_And unbelievably, the opportunity presented itself to him soon after._

_It was late when he was done with patrolling the corridors. He stood in front of the door of Hospital wing and tried to listen for any sound form within. He had waited all day wanting to make sure for some reason that Ginny was all right. _

_It had been more than a month now that she was keeping the pendant. She knew what was happening to her, she was feeling miserable and tired. She knew it was because she was not accepting the pendant with all her heart and as a consequence it was taking toll on her body. However the pendant was the least of her worries when compared to the horrific nightmares that she had started having. Though a part of her knew that the dreams had begun after Draco had given her the pendant, she did not want to believe it. The idea that Draco Malfoy was the cause of all the things happening to her was not something she wanted to entertain._

_That afternoon after an exam, she had fainted in front of Hagrid's hut and Colin and Christina had brought her to the hospital wing. _

_Draco stepped in without making any noise. The hospital wing was dark and not a single student was there. Only the last bed in the hall showed sings of life. He took small steps towards the drawn curtains, but stopped near the bed before Ginny's. Under the drawn curtains he could clearly hear the voices of two girls. He didn't take much time to recognise the voices._

"_Hermione, you shouldn't be here this long. You know it's late."_

"_I know Ginny and I'm a prefect, but I was waiting for Ron and Harry to go to sleep."_

"_How is Harry?" The concern in Ginny's voice made Draco want to kick something hard._

"_Well! He is handling every thing as best as he could, which is not very good either you know…but his nightmares are not making anything easy and the worst thing is he doesn't want to talk about them and he is getting very cranky. Ron was telling me he couldn't sleep the nights when he hears Harry tossing and turning in the bed." Hermione sighed deeply. "Well, I am not here to talk about him, I am here to talk about you and I am not going any where until I get some answers, so you better start talking."_

"_What about me? I am fine. It's just exams and all. You don't have to worry about me." _

"_Do you want to talk to me about something?" Hermione asked._

"_Well… What do you mean by some thing?"_

"_Are you seeing some one Ginny? "_

"_No…" Ginny snorted. "What makes you say that?"_

"_I saw the pendant Ginny. I saw it when Madam Pomfrey asked me to help her change you into your pyjamas," Hermione stated simply and then continued as Ginny did not offer an explanation, "Would you like to tell me where you got this pendant from? Because I never gave this to you, and Harry or Ron wouldn't know how to buy something like this."_

_But before Ginny could answer, Draco heard Hermione put a silencing charm around the curtains. Draco stiffed all over in the other side and held his breath, wondering what Weasley would tell the other girl. He waited anyway for them to finish. He resolved to ask Ginny directly if she had told Hermione about the pendant._

_On the other side of the curtain…_

"_Is that it, because of this pendant you think that I am dating someone?"_

"_Ginny, who gave you this pendant?" Hermione asked her again._

"_Hermione, it's none of your business," Ginny said in a tone that brooked no argument. _

"_Of course it's my business. You're my friend and if anything or anyone hurt you, then it would be my business, whether you like it or not," Hermione said in a determined voice._

"_Hermione what are you talking about? No one and nothing is hurting me," Ginny said tiredly._

"_Ok, then tell me where you got those cuts on your wrist, and bruises on you upper arm and bruises on you neck from? And what about the dreams you said you are having and didn't tell any one about?"_

_Ginny's face went pale and she couldn't speak for a while._

"_Hermione, I am telling you it's nothing. Trust me."_

"_Ginny, what is happening to you? Who is doing this to you? Does Malfoy have anything to do with this? I swear I'll kill him if he does."_

"_No, no, he has nothing to do with this. I promise if anything were to happen you'll be the first person to know," Ginny said crossing her fingers behind her back. She hated lying, especially to Hermione. "But there is something you can do for me. I want your help with my dreams. I haven't told anyone about them yet and I want you to promise that you won't either." She thought for a while, "First, I thought I was just imagining things, but lately I think they are real, but the problem is that they are not my dreams."_

"_What does that mean?" Hermione asked curiously._

"_Well! I think I am dreaming Harry's life." Ginny looked at the older girl to see if that made any sense to her. _

"_What do you mean 'Harry's life'?" Hermione asked anxiously._

"_Well… it's hard to explain, but I'll try," Ginny sighed. "In the first dream I saw, I think I saw him when he was a one year old baby in his cot, and Voldemort was there and killed his parents." _

_Hermione's face turned ashen._

"_What? How can that be possible?" Hermione asked in a whisper. "Ginny you must be mistaken… you were not even born at that time. And how do you know it was Voldemort and those people were Harry's parents and that was his house." _

"_Yes, I know. I think about it too, but I can feel it was him. The other dream I had was about the Sorcerer's Stone. I was there too. I saw you guys go through all the tasks and Ron play the giant chess and I cried for him when he fell off the black knight. I saw Harry talking to the back of Quirrel's head to Voldemort's face. Then again, in the Chamber of Secrets. I told you before that when Tom possessed me, I didn't remember the hours I spent doing what he asked me to. When he took me into the Chamber I saw him first time, I met him first time. But I knew nothing of what had happened between Harry and Tom and the basilisk save what I heard from you. All I remembered was that when I awoke Harry was there injured, the basilisk was dead by my side, the diary was ruined and Tom was gone. But in my dream I saw all of it what had happened. I saw Harry came in. He ran towards by cold body on the floor. I was there; I heard what Tom and Harry talked about. How Tom wrote his name in the air with Harry's wand, 'Tom Marvolo Riddle" and waved the wand again and it spelled, "I am Lord Voldemort." How Tom called for Basilisk and Fawks came in brought the sorting hat and sword and I saw Harry fighting Basilisk and I saw him waking me up when ever he got the chance to come near me. Pleading me. I was standing there saw him crying over me. I was crying, yelling to him and Try to strangled Tom with my bare hands, but I couldn't touch him or Tom. They couldn't see me either like I couldn't help His father, James Potter. I was there too… I saw every thing. I saw James, lily die. I couldn't help Ron."_

_She was talking in trance, without focusing on any point, staring at her hands. _

"_I saw Sirius and Wormtail, Ron's Scaber's in the Shrieking Shack. And I saw Remus turning into a werewolf and I saw all those dementors… attacking Sirius, you, Harry and Ron, and I couldn't do any thing at all. I saw Harry's Patronus scare all the dementors away. But it happened twice, didn't it?" _

_Ginny was like talking as though someone had hypnotised her, without any emotion, without stopping. She was talking to herself, trying to convince herself that she wanted to help Harry and all of the people, she saw in her dreams._

"_I don't want to see more Hermione, help me stop these dreams. I can't take it any more of just standing there see Harry fight and I don't help him."_

_Hermione was white as paper. She knew Ginny was telling the truth. But for the life of her she couldn't fathom how Ginny could know everything in such detail._

"_Oh, Ginny, how horrible for you to see all of it. I don't know what's the reason of it all." _

"_You believe me." Ginny looked at her with wide eyes. Then Hermione noticed that there were tears on Ginny's face. Hermione squeezed Ginny's hand emotionally. _

"_Oh Ginny, of course I believe you. There is no reason to not believe you. I think we should tell Dumbledore about this or maybe even Harry."_

"_NO," Ginny's head snapped up, "No… don't tell anyone." She shook her head violently, "You promised. If you want to help me Hermione, see what you can find out in the library."_

_Hermione stared at her for a moment, "Okay Ginny. But why didn't you tell me before?" _

"_I thought you would not believe me. But I am scared to see more, to not be able to help and just watch people die." Ginny answered softly. "Of course I trust you." Hermione said while sitting on the bed in front of her._

"_So, it was all real?"_

"_Yes all was that real. Harry and I used a time turner. Ginny, you should rest now and I will be back tomorrow and tell you what I found in the library." Hermione stood up and hugged Ginny warmly. "Don't worry. We will find out what this is all about. Try to catch some sleep."_

"_I will. And Hermione, thank you," Ginny called Hermione when she was getting out. She nodded and left the room. Ginny took a deep sigh and sat still where she was. _

_Draco watched as Hermione came out, the look on her face made him sure that Ginny had told her about the pendant. Furious with her, he contemplated on ways in which to teach the stubborn Weasley a lesson. He smiled to himself and stepped out of the hospital wing soon after Hermione. _

_Ginny tried to sleep, but sleep was the last thing she wanted. She sat up and opened her dairy and tried to put her feeling on the page._

_As the long gloom of the dark drifts near,_

_I am left surrounded by old fears,_

_Struggling yet drowning in my own tears._

_Pale visions of Yesterday come to mind,_

_Joy and happiness that I had hoped to find,_

_Are all lost now and;_

_Pain is all I won._

_Far away the image of a dying sun._

_Trouble and misery have come my way,_

_To become memories of yet…_

_Another day._

_**Next chapter**. **You will find out that what is going on between Ron and Blaise. So, hang out there.**_

**Please review. I know some people read the stories, but don't review. I would be hounored if you guys review. Please, I would love to read what you think of this story. I really need your reviews to know that. So, see you soon.**


	7. Chapter 06

Hi guys! I know it's been a long that I've update. I was so busy with so many things, but now I'll try to complete this fic with the help of my great beta DJ. I really want to thanks to SIMINON who was so anxiously waiting for the update and never let me forget that someone is waiting for my story. It's a great feeling thank you. This chapter is for you, hope you like it and enjoy it.

**Chapter Six**

_It was almost dinnertime and Hermione had already read most of the books in the library relating to dreams. But none of them was helpful. The only thing they all said was that the person who saw or experienced another person's dreams was connected to them. This was not difficult to understand since Harry and Ginny shared a blood bond. What the connection between Ginny and Voldemort was something Hermione could not understand. _

_She thought about the dairy, which Ginny had in her first year. But she had not dreamt anything all this time. "Something is missing. What is it that I am not noticing?" she whispered to herself. "Ginny said she's been having these dreams for more than a month now. What has changed in this past month?" _

_Suddenly an idea came into her mind and she went to a row of bookshelves. Moments later, she walked to Madam Pince's desk empty-handed and asked, "I was looking for the books on charmed pendants, but there aren't any. Can you tell me who took them so I can borrow from them?" _

_Hermione watched as Madam Pince looked through her records and then confirmed her worst fear._

_"The books have all been checked out by Draco Malfoy."_

_Hermione turned around and walked back to her table, prepared to head back to the Gryffindor common room. She picked up her things and turned around only to find Draco standing behind her._

_"What the hell did you that for Malfoy? Did you want to give me an heart attack?" she hissed angrily._

_"I wish I could, but you look fine to me," he said disappointedly._

_Hermione rolled her eyes, "What do you want Malfoy?"_

_"Meet me outside the Charms classroom in ten minutes."_

_"Why? What's going on?"_

_" We have to talk."_

_"About what?" Hermione asked and then continued as Draco's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Fine. We will meet you there in ten minutes."_

_"Not WE. Only YOU. And don't tell anyone else where you are going." He said tightly._

_Hermione stared at him suspiciously, "What makes you think that I shall meet you there alone Malfoy?"_

_"It's about the little Weasley," he stated absentmindedly._

_Hermione tensed. "Ginny...What about her?"_

_"If you want to know..." he trailed off and walked away from the library._

_Hermione confused and eager at the same time walked to the Charms classroom ten minutes later and found him already there._

_"I'm here. Spill the beans, Malfoy."_

_"What did she tell you last night?" he asked instead._

_"Why would I tell you? And more importantly how do you know she told me anything?" she raised an eyebrow at him._

_He pointed his wand at her, "I won't repeat it again Mudblood and don't think that I am not going to hex you. Tell me what she told you about the pendant."_

_"So, it was you who gave her that pendant. I was right, wasn't I?" _

_"Don't try to be smart with me, Granger. I saw you looking for the charmed pendant books and then you asked about them. I know she told you something despite my telling her not to say anything to anyone. The little sneak! Once I am finished with you, I'll make sure she stays in the hospital wing for good," he said menacingly._

_"She didn't tell me anything, I asked her but she changed the subject. I was just curious and was looking for those books for some other connections. But now you have conformed my suspicions."_

_"How the hell can you know... presume that I gave her some pendant?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her._

_Hermione rolled her eyes, "You just said that you had forbidden her to talk about it."_

_Draco swore under his breath._

_"She is having... Umm... having... trouble with it." Hermione almost told him about dreams but she wanted to know more about the pendant before saying anything._

_"I warned her. I told her she needs to accept the pendant with all her heart or else it will weaken her"_

_"What's this pendant for Malfoy and why did you give it to her?" Hermione asked him angrily._

_"That's not for you to know. I have told her. But she won't tell you." Draco started walking towards the door._

_"Voldemort... Does Voldemort have something to do with this?" Hermione asked urgently._

_Draco froze at the spot. He turned carefully to face her. "What...what did you say? What makes you think he had to do something with this?" He narrowed his eyes at her._

_But before she could answer, Peeves came into the room, and Hermione made a dash for the door. Draco swore under his breath. However, fate offered him a chance to get even when in the two days Ginny, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna were caught by Umbridge and the squad's members. Harry was trying to use the floo network. But, Umbridge caught him with Hermione. Draco didn't get the chance to talk to Hermione, but was equally satisfied with having Ginny there. Ginny, obviously did not share his feelings of satisfaction, and emptied her heart of the hatred through the Bat boggy curse. The events after that went haywire as the news that Voldemort had returned made its way across the Wizarding world throwing things into disarray. _

_Ginny and Harry were completely wrecked up over Sirius' death. Ginny couldn't get out of the bed for a whole week and neither could the others. The day she left the hospital wing with Hermione, they saw some Slytherins, but didn't see Draco anywhere. Hermione was somewhat relieved to not see him, because she knew that if Ginny had seen him, he wouldn't have survived her wrath. Ginny had eventually told Hermione everything about the pendant, but Hermione hadn't shared her piece of information with anyone yet._

_The thought of not seeing Sirius at Number Twelve, Grimmauld place robbed them of any cheer they might have felt at being free from Malfoy till the start of the new term. _

_??_

It was the first day of school. Ginny couldn't figure out which was worse for Ron - the fact that he had double potions with Snape or that he had to sit through double potions with Draco. Draco purposely sat with Ron to annoy him and Ginny for messing around with the password. Hermione, Harry, Blaise and Ginny exchanged looks as they watched Ron fall off the bench in his attempts to sit as far away from Draco as possible. Draco looked back to where they were sitting and winked.

Professor Snape was walking between the students, his eyes narrowed, waiting to pounce on the tiniest mistake. Neville was much more confident now, but he still stumbled when he saw a pair of black eyes trained on his cauldron. Snape stopped by Harry's table and watched him cut the Mandrake root. Hermione's breath caught in her throat, while he stood there and watched him, "Must all your work be so shoddy, Mr Potter? Do you expect me to demonstrate every year?" Snape said coldly.

"No... Sir," Harry replied bitterly. Most of the time, Snape ignored Harry, which was okay with Harry. But Snape couldn't control himself from taunting him once in a while. The mere memory of Harry witnessing his worst memory made Snape cringe. Harry's jaw clenched tightly and he took a long deep breath, as Hermione did the same and let the breath go.

Ginny, Ron and Draco glared at Snape, but he ignored them and stepped forward.

"So, what's wrong with Ron?" Ginny asked to Blaise while carefully mixing the ingredients.

"You mean other than the usual? Nothing," Blaise said casually, but couldn't ignore Ginny's sharp finger on her upper arm.

"Ok, ok. I'll tell you. You can stop with the third degree. I was talking to a Hufflepuff boy on the train and your jealous and slightly insane brother came up and thought something was going on. He really pissed me off and I told him that the boy was asking me out." Blaise told her with the mischievous glint and smile in her eyes.

"No way! You did that?" Ginny asked in the same way. "Well... good for you girl."

Both girls chuckled.

"Harry, are you okay? Do you want to go and see Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione looked at Harry with a worried expression. She couldn't, for the life in her, fathom why he was fumbling so much.

Blaise sighed and turned sharply to the working couple near the table.

"Hermione, honestly, stop mothering him, and treat him like a guy who likes you. A lot."

Hermione stared at Blaise without realising what the other girl had said. "I am certainly not trying to be his mother...I was just conce..."

"Oh save it and don't look like a stuffed trout," Blaise cut her off.

Even before Hermione could recover from the shock or Professor Snape could reach them, the bell rang. Hermione gave Blaise an angry glare before gathering her things and stalked out of the room. Harry took a deep sigh and a small smile tugged at his lips that changed into a frown when he saw four people staring straight at him. He took two steps back and gulped visibly.

"What?"

A smile broke on Ginny's face and she threw her arms around his neck. "You are on it. Good."

Harry's face turned light pink and he rubbed his forehead. "It's bloody hard, specially when she's around."

Both Ginny and Blaise ignored the angry glares being shot at them by Draco and Ron, and patted Harry on the shoulder sympathetically.

"Miss Weasley, I need talk to you," Snape called her.

"Don't you have a class Gin?" Blaise asked her.

"No," Ginny replied as she prepared to follow Snape. She tugged at Ron's robe as she passed him. He turned to face her.

"What?"

"If you don't ask her out, someone else will. Talk to her."

??

They all stepped out of the class except Ginny. She sat down on the chair and waited for Snape to start talking. He noticed her ignoring him and sighed. He put some papers in front of her, which she picked slowly and looked through them, shaking her head.

"Professor... It's impossible. A research report. And an experiment report. How on earth can I do that. I just started the research; you know I am not even sure what the ingredients should be. How am I supposed to write a report if I haven't even made a potion or even a trial potion." Ginny finished talking while staring his calm and collected face.

"Are you done worrying about it? Can I talk now?"

"Well, forgive me if I feel so stressed. I only have to present a cure report in a matter of days to the top healers and in the biggest Wizarding lab. And did I mention that no one ever has able to find a cure for werewolf bites? Besides don't forget the school and homework and all."

Professor Snape sat down on the corner of the table in front of her. "What is bothering you the most?" he asked smiling at her.

"How can you be so relaxed? And who the blaze is going to take a teenager's research seriously?"

"You won't be alone. There will be more students from other schools. Not that all of them will be presenting the same kind of research but the Healer's Society is interested in your work. It's not a contest. It's just to encourage students to take an interest in research and potions. You have a whole year in which to do the research. We will find something. First you have to send a profile detailing what inspired you to start this report and your knowledge about werewolves in two months. In the following four months you have to make a trial potion, according to your first report. You have to show them what kind of ingredients you think would be good and why and..."

"Wait a minute... What do you mean show them? You don't mean I have to go there and talk in front of them."

"Exactly. But let's not worry about it right now."

"So that means that Robins can come here."

"Yes," he answered shortly before continuing. "In the remaining six months you have to finalise your potion and then show them at least three different reactions of your experiment on your patient or case. If they find all your work useful or seem to going somewhere they will offer you their labs and their resources to continue your work.

"That's amazing!" Ginny said excitedly, her worries forgotten. Snape smiled as he saw Ginny's eyes light up with excitement. It was her passion for learning that had made Snape thinks about her differently.

"This is a big decision, Ginny. You're a student and it won't be easy. You have to put your all energy in this. Are you sure you want to do this?" Snape asked with a serious face.

"I don't believe this. First you fire me all up and then you suggest that I might not be able to do it. What is it with you? I can do it. And it's not like I am going to get another chance at this," Ginny said heatedly.

Professor Snape merely smiled. Ginny's passion for her work would make her an excellent potion maker someday.

"Besides you'll help me," Ginny stated with finality.

Snape raised his eyebrows. "Oh, if you think I am going to say goodbye to my sleep then you have another thought coming." Snape stood up from in front of her and held up his hands.

"Oh, right, and your beauty sleep is more important than my work," she mocked him. Snape smiled and shook his head as Ginny gathered her things and started to leave. "Thanks Professor. I'll show you the draft report in a few days." He nodded.

"So... Draco seemed angry with you? What happened?" he asked casually, shuffling the papers on the table.

"Why? Was your godson acting stranger than usual? I didn't notice." Ginny shrugged her shoulder, hoping he wouldn't start with the same lecture she was being given all around.

"It's none of my business, but I would say that you should give him a chance."

"What?" she turned sharply to him. Her temper shot up. "On what basis? That he is your godson or that he fought the good fight like you did. Then why don't you give Harry a chance? He didn't do any thing to you. It was his father, Sirius and his friends. And even though James and Sirius are dead, you still treat him like dirt." Her sudden out burst took him off guard. He was not expecting such reaction. Ginny realized that she had said too much. "I am... sorry... I didn't mean to... It's just..."

"No, you're right... I always see him as his father. Then Sirius and Remus... I've treated him very badly all these years..."

Ginny's eyes widened in shock when she heard those words. This was big. She didn't want to embarrass him by pointing out that what he had said so she just encouraged him.

"He is a very simple person. Just be polite with him."

He smiled and nodded, "Will you reconsider what I said about... Draco?"

"Huh...Ok, I'll try, but if he acts like a prat I won't be responsible for my actions," she warned him. He nodded again and she came out of the class.

??

After Potions, Gryffindor and Slytherin had Herbology. Ron walked fast and stopped. He balled his hands into a fist, marched towards Blaise, and stopped right in front of her. Both stopped and Blaise stared at his angry face. But before she could say something, Draco stepped in front of Ron.

"Hey... what the hell do you think you are doing?" Draco asked him.

"Tell him to shut up or I will do it for him. We need to talk." Blaise gave Ron her 'I'm-not-scared-of-your-tantrums' look before turning to Draco.

"It's alright. What do you want to talk about Ronald?" Blaise asked patiently.

Ron glared at her, "Who asked you out?"

"What...?"

"You know what I am talking about Zabini," he yelled.

"Don't you dare yell at me. I am going out...so? Get to the point, Ronald."

"A... date?" Ron said shrilly. "A date? You are going to date? And don't call me Ronald."

"Yes," she hissed. "Yes I do, because he asked me out. At least he wasn't too much of a chicken to ask me out, _Ronald_," she said with emphasis.

"Who're you calling a chicken?" demanded Ron, furiously. "And only my mother calls me Ronald...when she is angry with me. My friends call me Ron, do I have to remind you that."

"You! I'm calling you a chicken! And I am not particularly pleased with you at the moment either and yes...that's why we are _just friends_... right." She glared at him. _What is so difficult about saying that he likes me? I am just wasting my time with a brick wall._

_Stubborn Gryffindor._

"And who - just who - is the...?" Ron asked, fighting the urge to shake her senseless. If he knew who the little shit was he would..._Is it so hard to admit that she likes me?_

_Stubborn Slytherin._

"None of your business, _Ronald_." Blaise all but spat the words out before marching off to class.

He balled his palms to fists, glaring at her retreating back. "You know what I think? I think you're only inventing this--this--whoever this bastard is! No one has asked you out. Admit it!"

Blaise whirled on him, a brilliant flash of anger in her eyes. "How dare you!" she snarled, stomping her foot. "You - little - how dare you! Invent a boy! And why, would I do that?"

"You want to make me jealous, that's why!"

She breathed deeply, trying very hard not to claw his eyes out. "Don't flatter yourself, _Ronald,_" she whispered. Blaise inhaled sharply. "If you must know, it is the guy who was talking to me on the train."

At that, Ron's eyes widened in shock. "That moron...that bastard."

"Yes..."

"You make me sick...well good for you... that suits you best," he hissed, his voice hoarse as he walked away from her.

"Ronald... _Ron..._"

But he'd already left.

Harry and Draco watched, from between some plants, with a mildly interested expression and Hermione with concern as Ron left Blaise in haste. She knew her best friend very well. She knew how difficult it was for him to express his feelings. She looked at Blaise, who looked stupefied and stricken, and for a moment acted as though she meant to follow him but then decided against it at the last minute.

"I don't get it," Harry mumbled, watching as the Slytherin dejectedly headed towards the Herbology classroom by herself. "I mean, why doesn't Ron tell her that he likes her, or why not she admit that she likes him?"

Ron joined them gloomily at their table and Blaise joined Draco right across the table. Blaise looked at Ron and caught Hermione's eye and Hermione gave her a smile, which Blaise returned with a sad one of her own.

"Not that I am very fond of the Weasel, but don't you think that was a bit harsh."

Blaise gave him a look of surprise. "I didn't know you cared for him."

Draco heaved a sigh, while following Madam Sprout's instructions. "Any other situation, maybe I don't, but just look at him. He looks like his favorite pet turned around and bit him."

"I didn't mean to," she said sadly.

"At least you are not as late as me..." he mumbled to himself. "He will come around, give him some time... he cares about you very much." Draco was talking while working with the plant and didn't notice the surprised look and smile on Blaise's face. "What?" he asked, a startled look on his face.

"You talked to Ginny... didn't you Draco?" His lopsided sad smile was all she need as an answer. "What happened?" she sighed sadly. "Don't worry... she will come around, give her some time...she cares about you." Draco laughed as Blaise repeated his words from moments before.

At that point a first year boy came in with a note in his hand for the Herbology teacher. Madam Sprout gave them all homework and left the class. Ron gave Blaise a hard look and dashed out of the class. The look on his face wiped the smile off her face. Harry went after him. Hermione squeezed her hand for assurance, "He will be fine."

Ginny came out of the class and realizing she still had some time for her next class walked towards Hagrid's hut. But it was empty. Suddenly a roar caught her attention and she walked towards the forbidden forest.

She could see students gathered around a red headed tall man. She smiled. She hadn't had time to meet Charlie yet. The smile spread over her face when she saw Buckbeak standing stubbornly in the middle of the ground and Hagrid grinning toothily as though Christmas had come early as he was fed Buckbeak the dead rats.

She knew that it was Buckbeak's first time outside Sirius' house, after three years. She stood there and just watched her brother, Hagrid and the creature. Being close to the hippogriff, she knew that it would be dangerous for Buckbeak if he saw her and recognised her. He was still a 'fugitive'.

Charlie turned to the class and saw her and waved at her direction. She waved back and turned to leave planning to come back some time later. In the distance she saw a very angry Ron coming out of the Herbology class, with Harry on his heels. She frowned with confusion and stepped forward. And found the answer when she saw Hermione, Draco and a grumpy Blaise come out of the class.

She started to walk towards the castle before someone spotted her and made her late for her class.

"And where do you think you are going, red chilli?" Draco asked, stepping in front of her.

"I will miss my class," she said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. She stepped around him, but found him in front of her again.

She sighed and looked at him impatiently. "What is it?"

"You still have ten minutes, walk with me."

"Ginny, Draco."

"Oh damn! For Merlin's sake, why did Dumbledore have to hire another Weasley? We just got rid of two," he said grumpily. "OW! That hurt!" he said, turning to face Ginny who just punched him on his upper arm. She knew he was just trying to annoy her again.

"That's the point," she said before launching herself into Charlie and hugging him hard. Draco followed her lazily, giving the siblings time to meet each other. He liked the older Weasleys. Charlie and Bill were the ones who were always patient with him. They were at Grimmauld place, and controlled the others when they had arrived and found him there.

"Hey, Draco, how are you?" Charlie greeted him and he returned the greeting.

"So, how was the first class?" Draco asked mildly interested.

"Oh great...umm...you want to know... what I brought?" Charlie asked, smiling at him. Ginny tensed, but before she could say anything Charlie told him about Buckbeak. A shadow crossed Draco's face and Charlie stopped on the look on the younger boy's face. But before he could say something, the bell rang and Ginny hurried to her class, saying goodbye.

Charlie watched her hurry away before he turned to apologize to Draco, but found himself standing alone.

Charlie sighed, "Teenagers."

"What's that all about?"

"I have no idea," Charlie sighed and turned to Hagrid.

"I thought they are all set and Ginny was okay with him?"

"I don't know how they are going to end up but I have a feeling that Draco is not going to give up on her anytime soon," Charlie spoke absently, lost in his own thoughts, while helping Hagrid.

"Its amazing what they were and what they are now. How is his father?"

"Hum... he is ok, but Draco hasn't visited his room yet. I don't know what boy has in his mind."

Draco's head was pounding and he could feel the pulse throbbing in his left temple. He wearily stepped into the History of Magic class and put his head into his hands. Memories flashed in his mind, accompanied by pain, which he was trying to forget, the terrible things he had done to her...

_Its all your fault father, you didn't trust me. And I will get the answers from you. I swear. _He promised himself._ I will make her forget everything and love her, the way she deserves to be loved, the way she would never have imagined_.

THE END

Author's note: I am really thankful those who reviewed for the fic and like it, well keep in touch.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER SEVEN

Harry entered the common room and found Ron sitting near the fire in a large chair and staring gloomily into the flames Chapter Seven

Harry entered the common room and found Ron sitting near the fire in a large chair, staring gloomily into the flames. He didn't need to turn around to know who entered; he knew Harry's footsteps by heart. His best friend sat down in the armchair opposite him.

"She hates me," Ron said in a hoarse voice.

"_Here we go again_," Harry thought as a knot appeared in his stomach. He sighed deeply, "No she doesn't. You know that." Harry said determinedly.

"Oh yeah? And the twit she's going out with? What's with that?"

"That only means she refused to go out with you. She still likes you, just not in the way you like her," Harry pointed out, picking up the iron rod and poking the glowing coals in the grate with the pointed end.

"How can you say that? _You know_ I didn't even get the chance to ask her out yet!" Ron retorted.

"What chance Ron? What are you waiting for? There's always a chance. What's stopping you from asking her out?" Harry asked, poking the coal a bit harder than necessary and sent the red ashes up into the air.

"Well…you remember what happened - when I - You remember how Hermione reacted to me, when I asked her out," He stood up and began to pace in front of the fire. He seemed to be on the verge of tears, yet angry enough to hit someone at the same time.

Harry racked his brain. Was he referring to the Yule Ball? He was still stuck on the same problem after all these years?

"You moronic twit, Hermione was angry with you because you never asked her to the ball. She was angry with you because you had thought of her as a last resort. Don't make that mistake again," He pointed the red rod end towards Ron, who stepped back hastily and glared at him. Harry set the rod down and added with a sigh, "Look Ron if it makes you feel any better, Blaise is not going out with anyone. She probably just made it up to make you jealous."

"I knew it! I told her and she denied. I'll ask her tomor-," Ron's expression changed suddenly and he smiled. Harry turned and saw Hermione walk into the Common Room. At the sight of Ron she turned and walked briskly to her dormitory. Ron made to go after her, but Harry stopped him.

"Are you listening to me? Ron, sit down! I told you she was free so you'd forget about your problem with Hermione. You can't go ranting about it to her, then she'll just think you're using Blaise to get back at _her_. I just told you because you were so miserable."

"Well I was little upset," said Ron

"Umm…Ron I have to ask you something."

"What?"

"I didn't ask you before…If… I didn't tell you…Actually, I didn't know it was Ginny…."

"It's okay Harry; actually I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I'm happy for you and Hermione." Ron smiled and sat down again.

"So, are you okay if I ask her out?" Harry asked directly.

"What…Oh yeah, of course…" He was relieved to know that Ron would support him, although it really wouldn't have mattered to him if he had said no.

"So, you think it will work out fine."

"Yeah." Ron assured him with a warm smile.

"So does Ginny" Harry sighed. They booth sat there in silence for a while

"So, should we go to the next class? It's almost time."

"Yeah…right." Both friends stepped out of the portrait hole and headed off to their History of Magic lesson.

&

Ginny knew that he was avoiding her for some reason. She was happy, but worried at the same time.

"_It's a good thing that he's not tailing me, so it's easy to skid off_," she thought inwardly. It wase first Hogsmeade trip in two months, but she was not going. Instead she would be visiting Lucius in the hospital. Two days before she had received a letter from Snape, asking her to set the time and day of the visit with Malfoy.

Ron, Harry, Hermione, Blaise and her other two friends were currently eating their breakfast in the Great Hall.

Since the common room was a bit crowded, Hermione offered to let Ginny use the prefects' study to do her homework. Already done with her own breakfast, Ginny was up in the little office to pick up her materials. She had left it there yesterday after working on the first part of her assignment.

She gathered her equipment and closed the door, thinking of Draco. Should she check on him or should she not? She stopped in front of his door, wondered if he wanted to be left alone.

Deciding not to knock on the door, she headed off to Snape's office instead.

&

He could now finally sit and think carefully of the situation that he had been avoiding for so long. He admitted to himself that it was all a manifestation of his mind, that he had put himself through useless confusion. He was too angry, too stubborn, that he didn't want to sort things out. He feared the truth – the truth that only he knew. But now the time had dawned, after filling every empty space of his life. Over his own better judgment, he was missing him more than anything. He realized it had to be done.

"The anger and other muddled emotions need to be released – once and for all. For his own good and his better chances with Ginny," he thought determinedly as he stepped out of his room.

&

Ginny was about to settle down after changing the flowers beside Lucius' bed to read the new information on his chart when Ruby, the receptionist, barged into the room with a pale face and startled expression.

Ruby hurried over to Ginny and whispered something urgent in her ear.

"What? Right now…How?" she jumped, with a horrified expression on her face, and gathered her things. She dashed out of the room, leaving Lucius asleep in the bed, and Ruby sobbing into her hands.

As he walked through the oak door his boots rapped on the corridors. Strange, he never noticed that sound before when he had visited, but that had been months ago. He wasted a good amount of time looking through doorways and windows while walking towards his destination; hoping that if he slowed his pace, he might be able to delay time too.

He hesitantly entered the room. He had always hated the hospital's smell but something was different in here. Daffodils, he thought. The flowers were fresh and strongly scented, though another very familiar smell was blended in with the daffodils' scent.

"_That means his volunteer was here, just before me. I wonder who it is," _he though as he inhaled deeply. He closed the door and surveyed the room. He had always watched his father through the connecting room when he came with his mother, never had he been _in_ the room before.

He took another step forward and shut the curtains of the connecting window. Finally, his steely eyes settled on the lean figure on the hospital bed. Lucius was still a handsome man in his fifties, with blond hair touched with silver and the finely bonded features, which Draco inherited. His father always kept his hair free on his shoulders and his appearance showed no difference. His hair was outlining his face, sleek and shining on the pillow. Draco had always admired this person, idolized him, and wanted to be like him. But all of that changed; he had become a different person. Considerable amount of time passed as Draco examined his father from a distance. He finally reached out with his hands shaking (he hated to be weak) laying it on the slim pale one on the bed. He was surprised at the warmness of the hand; it almost felt alive, beneath his own.

_"He could actually feel my presence_._"_

Draco had thought it didn't matter. All this time he could not remember missing him as much as he had now. A fierce desire to be with him, a longing to be close to him, suddenly erupted deep inside him.

Draco was shocked to feel himself lose control of his emotions. No, it was not affection. He was feeling, feeling for the first time in months how much he really loved his father.

_"No, it's just it's been a long time since I've seen_," he battled with his mind, but it was as if an unrecognized love had leaped from the shadow and sunk in its fangs into him.

He pulled his hand away quickly as if he had touched an electric wire. Terrified by all these emotions he turned to leave. He almost opened the door but stopped himself, breathing heavily. He stood there, tried to control his emotions, his back turned to his father. Closing his eyes slowly, he leaned his head on the door, with his hand resting on the doorknob. Should he leave or should he stay and tell his father what was on his mind? Ginny's voice echoed in his mind and although he hated to admit that she was right; he knew had to face his demons alone someday, he couldn't hide in his closet of skeletons anymore.

Finally, he locked the door, still looking at the door.

"I know you can hear me and you know that I'm here." He stopped and listened to the silence.

"When I touched you, I could tell you're waiting for me. Your heartbeat increased at my touch!" It was almost as if by explaining if he could bring him back. He paused and sighed; he realized that he had been hoping that he would be able to wake his father up.

His eyes watered as he continued, "I'm not coming back though, and I'm not going to give you that satisfaction. I know this is wrong but I'm glad you're not at peace...

"How ironic is it that today you will only be able to listen as I do the talking for once?" He turned to face Lucius again, "Hello father.'

&

"Hey Gin! How was your day?" Hermione nudged Ron to make space for her.

"I've bought chocolates for you," Harry said. He knew which kind she preferred.

"Tiring," Ginny sighed and slipped down onto the bench, taking the sweets from Harry she added, "Thanks."

"He's not here yet. Where the hell could he have been for an entire day?" Hermione was looking anxiously at the Slytherin table.

"Look who decided to show up? We can ask her where he is," Ron said nodding at the entrance to the Great Hall.

Ginny knew very well what they are talking about but decided to ignore them and look at the door; Blaise was coming in with her friends. She glanced in their way but looked away quickly and walked hastily to the Slytherin table, sitting down with unnecessary force.

"Umm…Ginny, do you know where Draco is?" Hermione asked her.

"Maybe... maybe not" She bit her lip so she wouldn't smile at their reaction.

"GINNY," Ron almost yelled and a few students turned in their seats to see what was going on. Harry's eyes widened for a second but he remained quiet, Hermione just looked at her not surprised at all.

"What Ron?" She replied calmly.

"You-know-we-are-so-worried-about-him-all-day-and-you-never-said-a-thing. Why-the-hell-you-didn't-tell-us?"

"You should have said something Ginny," commented Hermione, mildly angry.

"First of all you never asked me. Secondly, Ron don't you show that you care. And third, why should I've said anything, I have been told to mind my own business so many times," she said defensively and stared moodily back into Ron's glaring eyes. She stood to leave.

"GINNY! This is not fair!"

" Why don't you check the map Harry?" she said ignoring Ron's outburst.

"I already checked the map." Harry replied, "He is not on Hogwarts grounds. He showed up once on the map and disappeared right away, that was the reason we were worried about him."

"Hmm... Well maybe he _required_ something that's not on the map...?" Ginny retorted sarcastically.

"Oh, why I didn't think it before? The Room of Requirement! He would be there. That's the only place we can't see on map."

"Ron you can shut your mouth now or some bug will visit in there soon. And by the way keep your frustration to yourself and stop yelling at every one and if I were you, I would leave him alone." Ginny commented and fled out of the hall before they start questioning again.

His fight with Blaise caused Ron's agitated behavior a few days ago, which was still unresolved. He was angry with everyone; even he knew she wasn't making that up. Ron shut his mouth suddenly and glared back at her.

"How does she know he is there and why should we leave him alone? I say we should go and kick his smarmy ass, hard! I can't believe she knew and she didn't tell us. And anyway wasn't she in the hospital today? How would she know where he is?" Ron said.

"Unless he was in the hospital when she was there..." Hermione said suddenly.

"What?" Harry and Ron both said together.

"You mean he went to see his father today when Ginny was there too?" Harry asked.

"This is the only explanation I can find to explain his behavior and as you said she was not here either, how else could she have had known?"

"I know what you mean." Harry said sighing.

Ron just nodded, frowning a little.

&

Ginny was walking towards her dormitory thinking about the day. She didn't tell them about Draco's visit to his father because she didn't feel it was her place to tell, to be honest she was a little scared to face them. Truthfully, she really didn't know what on in Lucius' room that day.

After Draco had arrived at the hospital Snape had come to her immediately. She hadn't been able to do her work or leave the hospital, until Draco left the room. Snape stayed with her to make sure she was okay. She only left after Snape had agreed to stay the night with him.

"Owf," she was about to land on the floor when someone grabbed her by her arms. Without looking, she knew whom she had bumped into.

"What's the big hurry Ginny?"

"Sorry I wasn't looking." She said, relaxing a bit as Snape released her arms and bent to help her pick up her books.

"That was obvious," he muttered, "You didn't tell them." Snape asked as he handed back her books.

She shook her head pulling the lose strands of hair behind her ear.

"Well … are you ok?" He looked inquiringly at her, "care for a walk?" He added softly.

"No thank you, I have patrolling to do. I'll see you tomorrow; I want to show you some of the work I have been able to do so far."

"Very well" Snape said slightly put out. He turns to leave, "If you want a talk, you know where to find me."

&

"What's gotten into you?"

Hermione couldn't take it anymore and slapped Harry's upper arm, glaring.

"What?" Harry asked innocently still smiling to Sixth Year, Amelia.

"Since when did are you such a flirt?" Hermione asked, glaring at the other girl who was staring openly at Harry.

The way the girl was staring caused Harry to turn a bit red around his ears and turn sharply to glare at Hermione. She was right though; Amelia was a year younger, and while she was very pretty, didn't have a very good reputation.

"I am not flirting. It seems rude to me to not return her smile" Harry said defensively.

Ron snorted, "Millicent Bulstrode is also looking at you mate."

"You know I think that Ginny is right about that girl... She calls her "Vampire who sucks boys dry." Christina said, sitting down beside Hermione.

Ron and Colin snickered, the sound died as Hermione pinned them with a glare.

Ginny had come up with this new strategy for Harry. The idea was to catch Hermione's attention by laughing and joking with other girls. Not enough for other people to realize what was happening, but just enough for Hermione to notice. Her plan had worked so far and she noticed his behavior to other girls. But he still didn't know how she felt about him.

Hermione got up to leave; apparently she had noticed his flirtations again. Harry got up to follow her on the pretense of needing to use the bathroom. As he left the Hall he noticed Blaise was standing alone in the entrance. He quickly walked over to her.

"Ginny might know where he could be." Blaise spoke faster as Harry approached.

"Yeah, she has an idea," Harry said quietly, "Listen… about Ron…just don't be so hard on him, he is so hopeless and doesn't know what to do… so take it easy."

"No…it's ok. I know he is angry with me," she said smiling softly, shaking her head. Harry noticed she looked tired.

"Look you go and rest. I will talk to him, don't worry," Harry said.

"Will you? I am just worried about him, but I have no idea where he could be."

"He'll be alright."

"Thank you," she said giving him a hug. Harry returned the gesture with a smile.

"What's so funny?" she asked, catching his smile.

"Nothing... just want to warn you, don't hug me in front of Hermione," Harry said laughing.

Blaise narrowed her eyes at him. "You know what Ginny says about that girl."

He nodded still smiling, "Vampire who sucks boys dry."

"And I think she is right. And I think I have an idea what are you trying to do and I am afraid I am going to like it."

"I don't know what you are talking about, good night Blaise." He smiled at her and left her staring at his back.

&

He stopped as she called him and turned sharply. Even from the darkened distance his red hair was noticeable in the torchlight. He seemed tired but after a moment something sparked in his blue eyes.

_"Now he is frowning_, _this is not going to be easy. Who says only Slytherins are stubborn?"_ she thought.

"What are you doing here Blaise? Are you lost?" He asked. For a moment she thought that he was taunting, judging the way he was acting with her.

"Of course not Ron," she said stopping in front of him.

"Oh so we are on a first name basis again? Why the sudden change?" he said dryly, realizing that she was there only to talk to him.

She narrowed her eyes - she didn't want to lose control.

"Well… what do you want _Blaise_?" He asked flatly emphasizing her name.

Suddenly she had a change of heart. Why should she tell him now, he was so angry and ready to explode. She should wait.

"Nothing…it's nothing, forget I came," she was about to turn when he pulled her arm gently until she again found herself facing deep, warm blue eyes.

"What do you mean nothing?"

"Oh I don't know Ron I came to say sorry to you but since your mood is so fine I didn't want to ruin it. So I thought I should leave you so you can be AS DIFFICULT AS YOU CAN!" in the end her temper blew out of control. She screamed the last syllable in his face until she was out of breath.

Ron stared at her red face, fire-blazing eyes, following her slender fingers as they tugged her hair behind her ears nervously. He had an urge to pull her in his arms, but he controlled himself.

"Really? You came to say sorry to me?"

"Yes. Is that so hard to believe? Your swinging moods like a pregnant woman's behavior caused me think that I made a bad decision. That I am _now_ actually making a mistake," she spat again.

He laughed so heartedly that she was confused by his behavior, stepped back, and stared at his bright face worriedly.

"Ron, are you okay?" she asked worriedly, "What so funny?"

He continued to laugh.

"Just forget that I even came... we should carry on where we were before. But I just wanted to say that I _am_ sorry, I was rude to you the other day. Also, I miss you; you really are a twit and a moron… You're stubborn Weasley. I'm sorry I like you and can't help myself."

"So, you miss me?" he asked leaning towards her

"What? I didn't say-," she stopped suddenly, "I think I should go now," She stepped back not looking at him.

"You are so stupid" Without even his own realization he had leaned into her and kissed her softly on the mouth. Suddenly, a shocked Blaise was pressed hard against the wall. The rough wall behind her uncomfortably scraped her skin, but she didn't mind at all. Her hands pressed into the wall. It was a hell of a kiss too. So soft, tender and warm that she was melting under his pressure. One of his hands was in her hair and the other pulling her back into him. Her legs were giving out as he pulled off. Suddenly she felt cold.

"I …I have to go now," she whispered hoarsely.

They were both quiet, staring each other.

Ron smiled and cleared his throat

"I have to go," Blaise said again suddenly and left alone Ron staring after her, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Blaise…."

"Yeah?" She turned around with bright flushed face

"Good night," he smiled at her.

"Good night Ron."

&

Ginny entered her dormitory after patrol to find every girl sleeping soundly. She changed into her pajamas, thinking of Draco. As Ginny slid under the covers a red envelope caught her attention under her folder and she pulled it out. A smiled crept on her face as she remembered her unopened mail. Carefully she opened the letter.

_Dear Ginny,_

_Three lovely things life gives to me: whatever else fate sends, my heart is filled with gratitude for trees, books and a friend like you. I know and I am sorry I was not being fair to you when you left. I am also very thankful of you being so passionate with me. Recently I read this poem and it reminds me of you. It called:_

_A Friend on Call:_

_When something's wrong or something's right,_

_You're the one I call._

_I might feel discombobulated,_

_Or nothing's wrong at all._

_You're always there to listen_

_When I am out of whack,_

_I'm lucky to have a friend like you…_

_Who always calls me back!_

_I hope to see you soon, Love Robinson _

Ginny folded the letter and laid it on her bed. "

_I hope to see you soon too_," she whispered to herself, opened the side table drawer and placed the letter carefully inside. She caught something white in the moonlight out near the lake, leans towards the window, and knew who that is.

She put her gown and head towards the common room, knowing that Harry and Hermione were there so she could tell them.

It was late and Harry and Hermione were still waiting for Ron in the common room. For the sixth time Harry pulled the map out and searched for him. His eyes widened in astonishment behind his glasses.

"Where is he?" asked Hermione behind the book she was reading.

"Umm…He is…Err…busy," Harry said, still in shock, "Very much busy... I'm going to bed."

"Harry, give me the map" Hermione pulled the map from his hands before he could stop her. She immediately noticed what he was trying to hide and her mouth dropped open when she stared at the two dots, which seemed to be written over each other. A hot heat crept over her cheeks, first pink and then red.

" Oh! Honestly… Are these Ron and Blasie, what are they doi-?" she stop short." Well so much for being annoyed at each other!"

She looked at Harry and they both burst out laughing, "Oh, okay I'll go to bed too... Any sign of Draco?"

"He is out near the lake... seems like Ginny was right."

"Go talk to him Harry."

"Well, I'm not sure he'd want to talk to anyone right now..."

"No, he will talk to you - just go."

"Ok I will."

THANK YOU GUYS: It's the end of Chapter seven. I hope you like it. Thanks to PHEONIX TALONS's review and my wonderful betas.

&


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